Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi
by The Last Princess of Hyrule
Summary: [Book One Ocarina of Time TrilogyFINISHED] Hyrule has been at peace for nearly a millennia when a strange prophecy is forseen. Now the king is dead and the land is thrown into civil war. The home Coquina once knew is falling apart before her eyes.
1. Prologue: The Creation

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_The Ocarina of Time Trilogy  
_****_Book One: "Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi" -- _****Prologue: Creation**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

Excerpt from the chapter "On Origins" from _The Book of Mudora_:

_In a Realm beyond sight,  
__The sky shines gold not blue,  
__There, the Triforce's might,  
__Makes mortal dreams come true . . ._

_- _Y -

Before there was the earth, before the spirits and time began, there were three Golden Goddesses. All that is, was, and will be came about through Their wishes and desires. Though little known is about Their origins, what They did will never be forgotten by the peoples of this world.

This land of Hyrule began as Chaos. Chaos ruled it, making and creating only more Chaos. With such as it was, no matter was created, no life began. All was Chaos and Chaos was nothing. Then, the Great Goddesses descended upon the disarray, divine will in mind.

The first Goddess, the Powerful Din, called upon all Her strength to create and shape land. She built the mountains above the plain and dug the rich valleys into the earth; the rolling hills and the turbulent seas made as graceful additions. With the order begun by Din, the desolation of Chaos began to fall away and take shape of the land known today as Hyrule.

The second Goddess, the Wise Nayru, saw Din's work as masterful, but incomplete. Nayru used Her power of Wisdom to bring order and the spirit of law to the land. The laws became the bindings to which the Goddesses held Hyrule to Them. In coincidence, Chaos was forced from Their presence by Nayru's Light of Wisdom and into the darkness, where it yet would not hide for long.

The third and final Goddess, the Courageous Farore, looked upon Her sisters' work with disdain. A land shaped and governed, no doubt, but with no life to profit from it. The Resilient One, with Her love of freedom, felt a desire for others to experience the warmth of the Goddess's sun and the cool patter of Their rainfall. Thus, Farore's rich soul produced life forms to uphold the laws of Hyrule.

However, despite the pure and perfect land They had fashioned, the Goddesses were not satisfied. The life flourishing in Hyrule seemed removed from the Goddesses, impersonal as the Chaos They had vanquished. To elucidate this quandary, each Goddess decided upon leaving Her own special mark; a part of Herself in the land They had created.

Thus, Din, in the image of Her own, created the Gerudo, a race comprised solely of females. The Goddess of Power had always felt that female creatures possessed superior composition as opposed to male. Hence, only one male was born to the Gerudo race, every one hundred years. In order to survive, the Gerudo relied on the powers of seduction Din had imbued them with.

Nayru's ideal beings, the race of the Zora, were a wise and reserved people. She believed that violence was product of Chaos, though Din held not such principle. The pacifist aquatic race inhabited the waters that flowed through the land, remaining secluded to the Gerudo and their ways.

Lastly, Farore, who felt the shine of innocence, created the Kokiri, a race comprised of children who never reached maturity. The Kokiri lived deep in the forests of Hyrule and, in their seclusion, never learned the complications of adulthood.

Satisfied with Their work, the Goddesses prepared to depart. However, within the moment they turned away, Hyrule fell once again to the mercy of Chaos. The mountains crumbled and the life died as Chaos tore apart the laws. That was when the Goddesses realized the terrible mistake They had made—in creating Hyrule, They had made it completely dependant upon Them.

So, the Goddesses created six elements, which would hold the fabric of the world in line. Light, Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, and Spirit were made to watched over Hyrule in the Goddesses' stead. Then, in order to keep the elements tightly aligned with Hyrule, the Goddesses put one race in charge of each element. The Gerudo governed Spirit, the Zora harnessed Water, and the Kokiri preserved Forest.

However, there were still three elements left unguarded. So, working as one, the Goddesses created the Sheikah, the Gorons, and the Hylians. The Sheikah took over the element of Shadow, the Gorons guarded Fire, and the Hylians controlled Light.

To keep the members of each race from feuding for single control of each element, the Goddesses chose from each race a supreme being to hold the pure element itself, preserved within a medallion. Each Sage, as these holders came to be called, perfectly exemplifying their element and preserved from mortal destruction by the blessings of the Divine. Then, the Goddesses took the Sages from the physical land of Hyrule. To protect the Sages and the Elemental Medallions, the Goddesses created the Sacred Realm, a realm of perfection removed from Hyrule. The Sacred Realm was to be inaccessible by any but the immortal Sages and the Golden Goddesses.

The Goddesses then observed Hyrule for a thousand years. In this time, They saw that the Hylian race perpetuated itself far beyond the others, and even beyond the expectations of the Goddesses. The Goddesses agreed that this race was superior in civility to the other races. Thus, the Goddesses made the Hylians rulers of Hyrule. However, the Hylians were not so superior that they did not fight amongst themselves. The Goddesses realized that none of the races, even the Hylians, could govern themselves in fair fashion. Therefore, the Goddesses picked the best family line of each race and made them its respective leaders.

The Goddesses referred to each of these Royal families as a legacy. In the Gerudo line, Din had decreed that the lone male was always to be made king. That line was known as the Amber Legacy. The Zora Royal Family was called the Sapphire Legacy; the Goron, the Ruby Legacy. For the Kokiri, Farore allowed them to chose their leader, whom came from the same line nonetheless, and was known as the Emerald Legacy. In the Sheikah society, the leading family held rank little higher than an average person, though the family was still most important to the Goddesses and called the Amethyst Legacy, while the Hylian Royal family, which the Goddesses considered greatest of all, became known as the Silver Legacy.

Unfortunately, even with the Legacy families, Chaos still existed in Hyrule, brought out when the races warred with each other. But, try as They might, the Goddesses could neither stop nor prevent the wars. The six elements should have been in agreement with each other, thus negating the possibility of a spark of discontent ever igniting into full bonfire of war, but when the races were dissatisfied, each element portrayed this through their appropriate Sage. Therefore, the races continued to fight as the Goddesses tried to create a solution.

At last, Nayru devised a plan. Since the elements could not govern themselves in an egalitarian fashion at times of displeasure, a single being must do so for them. So, the Goddesses created a seventh element. Nameless, the element was created to lead the others when the times of conflict arose. The Seventh Sage, in charge of the new element, was to be the greatest, purest, most perfect, ideal being in all Hyrule. However, because the racial wars were a rare occasion, the Goddesses felt it be inhumane to keep the Seventh Sage immortal, locked away in the Sacred Realm with nothing to do during the interim between divergences. The six elemental Sages were in perpetual motion with their elements, but the seventh would spend that time doing nothing.

Therefore, the Goddesses decided that every generation, a new Seventh Sage would be chosen, fitting the standards, to lead the other Sages were the wars to begin again. However, the chosen one never knew they were Sage until a war arose. Thus, many generations of Seventh Sages lived their lives without war or even knowing their divine role.

With this and final act, Their labors complete, the Goddesses departed Their land for the heavens. And at the point where They left the world, there was a brilliant flash of light as They simultaneously made Their final wish. Their wish was that They might always be remembered in Their people's hearts. Thus, the Sacred Triangles remained to symbolize the patron Goddesses of Hyrule. The triangles, called a variance of names; the divine, the golden, the enigmatic Triforce; became the basis of Hyrule's providence.

The wish of the Goddesses was granted—the people never forgot the legend of Creation, nor the Triforce, which became known to have great power; the power to grant the heart's greatest desire of the one who held the whole Triforce, as it had for the Goddesses.

The people of Hyrule sought the relic and finally someone held it. However, the Triforce had a catch. Only a person with a heart balancing the values of the Goddesses—Power, Wisdom, and Courage—could gain control of the complete Triforce. When the holder had one virtue outweighing the others, the Triforce split into three pieces—Power, Wisdom, and Courage—leaving the holder with the piece that portrayed the value most prominent in his heart.

However, even one piece gave the holder the power to overthrow the Silver Legacy and the Hylians, thus making the holder ruler of Hyrule. However, the Sages intervened before the Triforce holder had a chance to kill the Royals. To prevent this near-catastrophe from ever possibly happening again, the Sages gathered the Triforce, which, when all three pieces were together, became complete again, and sealed it away in the Sacred Realm.

Though no mortal beings could enter the Realm, they did try, and grew in ambition with every failure. It was a great system, which everyone thought infallible. But not even the Goddesses could have foretold the day when this perfect order failed at last.

- Y -


	2. Chapter One: The Birth of a Hero

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda _is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

_**"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"**_ **— Chapter One: The Birth of a Hero**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

"AARGH!"screamed a woman's voice in agony.

"Push!" another yelled. "Damn it, push!"

"Yaaahh! Goddesses!" wailed the first woman, hands clenched on her swollen belly.

"My lady, you have to push," a maid whispered tentatively in the first woman's ear. She wiped the lady's sweaty brow with a cold rag.

"Nayru, damn all of you for doing this to me!" the first woman yelled profanely. The maid shrunk away but the other woman, the midwife, was undaunted by the language.

"This child isn't going to birth itself," the midwife growled furiously to the first woman. "Now push!"

The woman clenched her fists and screamed. Oh, how she wished this child would just be born, or goddesses kill her now. Anything to put an end to the pain.

"Just a little more," the midwife yelled. "I can see the head!"

The woman drew in a deep breath and pushed with all her might. She gripped the sheets of the bed so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Then, at last, an earsplitting wail erupted from the room. Throughout the manor, servants and courtiers stopped their work to listen. Moments later, another cry was heard from their lady's room. Whispers began almost instantaneously. The maids in the kitchens, pouring over the night's meal, gossiped about it, while guards pacing the walls swapped stories as they rendezvoused with their fellows. The manor was all talk that day, for it appeared that their new master had at last come into the world.

In the lady's room, the open window let in a light, cool breeze, which was a welcome relief from the sweltering heat that was usual for Ionhj, the Hylian month of June. Turning away from the window, the midwife, Rosetta, wiped her hands on the towel handed to her by the attending maid. Rosetta gave the towel back and turned to the woman lying in the bed beside her.

The woman was pale and shaking, her body drenched in sweat and her beautiful, pale brown hair fell in stringy clumps across her face, which was magnificently smooth for a woman of twenty-four. The bedclothes around her lay heaped in irregular piles, waiting for whoever would try to remove the blood stains from them. Nevertheless, despite what pain the woman appeared to be in, there was a small smile on her face, for in her arms lay a minute bundle of blankets in which she cradled a newborn baby.

Rosetta smiled at her patient and turned back to the maid. "Tell them to allow Sir Garret in to see his new son."

"Yes, ma'am." The maid bobbed a curtsy and hurried out of the room.

Rosetta walked over to the bed, smiled at its occupant, and reached for the child. "May I . . . ?" she asked. The woman knew what the midwife planned to do and surrendered her baby without question. Rosetta looked down on the baby with a smile, her exquisite amber braid wrapped around her head like a circlet.

The midwife placed two fingers to the baby's head. "In these arms, the son of Lady Coquina and Master Sir Garret of Chastrion, born 5040 H.R., Ionhj 12 of our Golden Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore." Rosetta gave the child her blessing, the one all Hylian children received at birth.

"Lady Coquina?" Rosetta regarded the woman lying in the bed. "How are you feeling?"

The woman's gaze shifted from her new son to the midwife. Her crystal blue eyes, though exhausted, glittered like sapphires. "I've been better . . . "

Rosetta stifled a laugh. "Don't expect to be feeling any improvement tomorrow. This is your firstborn, isn't it?"

Coquina nodded wearily.

"Then you'd better take it easy. I can guarantee you'll be sore for at least a week or so—" Her words cut off as the door to behind her slammed open and an armored man entered the room.

When he had heard his wife was in labor, Sir Garret came running all the way from the practice fields in the town surrounding Hyrule Castle, which, it must be known, were nearly a twenty minute ride from Chastrion Manor, where he lived.

The maids stopped him at the door to Coquina's chamber and refused to grant him entrance to see his wife, despite how he bellowed in rage. Instead, the knight slumped against the wall, listening to the tortured screams coming from the other side, head in his hands. But, at last, the maids allowed him to pass, and he bowled them over in his haste to reach Coquina's side.

Garret pulled off his helmet and laid it softly on the stone floor and pushed his long, blonde hair out of his eyes as he knelt by the bedside. Coquina turned her head to regard him with a drowsy smile. He reached one broad arm over the bed and caressed her cheek gently.

"It's a boy," she whispered to him. As she gazed into his face, Coquina saw tears well up in his emerald eyes. He was built strongly, a man of twenty-six years, but was gentle as a kitten when the occasion called for it. Garret blinked his tears away in haste as he beamed at his beloved wife.

"What shall we call him?" Garret asked quietly.

Coquina lay back and closed her eyes.

"Link," she finally decreed. "Link Erdrich."

"Link Erdrich of Chastrion." Garret tasted the words on his tongue. "It's perfect."

A noise from the baby drew their attention from each other. The child opened his eyes and stared at Garret with exceptional interest. Link's ocean blue eyes sparkled as his new father's widened. Link gurgled happily.

"Coquina," Garret said in amazement. "Coquina, he . . . he looked at me!"

Coquina chuckled softly. "He's happy to see you. He is finally getting to meet his father."

Their gazes shifted back to each other. Garret leaned into the bed ever so slightly and, careful to not hit the child with his armor, gave Coquina the sweetest kiss. As he drew back, she smiled at him, knowing that today was the most important day of their lives.

"All right, Sir Garret." A voice from behind startled them. The knight pushed himself to his feet and turned to face Rosetta. "You need to leave."

Rosetta grasped Garret's shoulder firmly and steered him toward the door. "We'll let you know when you can come back in." Garret tried to protest, but was pushed out and the door closed behind him.

It was a bright day in the middle of Ogaotse, the Hylian month of August. The sun was shining on the commoners' grain crops, turning them a brilliant gold. In the past two months, the little green sprouts had shot up amazingly fast. However, it was not just the grain that was growing rapidly, for Link too had matured greatly in such a short amount of time.

That day, Garret had saddled his horse and ridden around the grounds with Link, inspecting the crops. The people working tipped their hats as their lord and his son passed by on the back of a majestic chestnut mare. The two were regarded warmly by the folk, for Garret ruled over them justly, which was more than could be said about some lords in Hyrule.

Later in the day, the inspection, for Garret, who had never had much interest in agriculture, began to grow dull. He soon wandered away from the fields to play with Link.

It took Coquina a good hour of searching to find her husband and son. However, as she did, the lady refrained from making her presence known and watched the pair with interest. Garret laughed heartily as he lifted Link high in the air above his head. Rather than be afraid, Link let out a cry of pleasure. Garret lowered Link for a moment then, without warning, tossed the child into the air. Link squealed in delight as he fell back into his father's outstretched arms.

"All right now, you two." Garret whirled around as he heard Coquina's voice. She stepped out of the shadows of the copse of trees and walked over to the happy pair. "It's time for somebody to take a nap."

"Oh, wonderful." Garret covered his mouth in a mock yawn.

She took Link from her husband and cradled him in her arms. Garret lifted her onto the back of his horse and climbed into the saddle. The sun was just beginning to set when they reached the manor. That night gale winds tormented the trees outside her window and the branches were tossed about like ships caught in a raging tempest. Fortunately, the stone walls of the manor muffled somewhat the din. With a moan, Coquina turned over onto her bruised stomach. No sooner had she done so that she let out a cry of pain and immediately sat up.

"Coquina?" Garret's muffled voice sounded beside her. She saw him outlined in a flash of lightning through the cracks of the shudders over the window as he sat up and lit a candle. A shallow light flickered about the room as Garret held the candle in the air and looked over to her.

"What happened?"Worry lines creased his forehead. "Are you all right?"

Coquina nodded. "I'm fine. I just rolled onto my stomach."

"Still sore, are you?" he asked.

"Rosetta says it will be better in a few days." Coquina looked away. "I wasn't very well equipped for childbirth and having Link didn't help matters."

"Is this the reason you are unable to have any more children?"

Coquina looked up at her husband, wondering how he knew. She did not recall telling him she had been rendered sterile from Link's hard birth. "How . . . ?"

"I sat outside our room listening to you scream all night, and then all day, until Link was finally born," Garret explained with a small smile. "If his birth had been easy for you, it would have been neither as long nor as loud."

His manner surprised Coquina. She had expected him to be angry, like most men would be, when confronted at the knowledge that his wife could no longer bear children. "That doesn't bother you?" she asked warily.

Garret raised an eyebrow. "Should it?" His eyes were shining in their usual, jovial way. Coquina smiled and kissed his forehead.

"I must be the luckiest woman alive," Coquina laid her head against Garret's chest contentedly, "to have such a loving husband."

Garret stroked her hair. "I married you for you, not your children." He kissed her lips and lay back. "You and Link are all I need, all I could ever wish for. I love you, Coquina."

Coquina gazed up at him through her long, black lashes. "I love you, Garret." She nestled against the folds of his shirt and felt his arms encircle her. Before she knew it, they were both fast asleep.

- Y -

Several days later, Coquina burst into the kitchens, flushed from running all over the manor. Her sudden appearance startled the cook, who dropped his ladle into what was going to be that night's supper.

"Garret! Garret, are you here?" she called as she scanned the room.

Cursing, the cook reached for another spoon. He dipped it in the soup and tried in desperation to get the ladle out. When that failed, he yelled at one of the scullery maids to bring him a pair of tongs.

The maid bustled past Coquina in haste to do the cook's bidding. Coquina watched her hurry off before she turned back to the rest of the kitchen staff. "Have any of you seen Sir Garret?"

Most of them shook their heads and turned back to their work but one of the pages called out to her, "I saw him a while ago, my lady. He went out to the practice grounds."

Coquina nodded and hurried off, shifting Link to the other arm. She reached the stables minutes later and had one of the grooms saddle her favorite chestnut mustang. Putting Link in a basket carrier she had constructed and strapped near the saddle, she hefted herself onto the horse and led him out the doors.

The Lady of Chastrion galloped across the countryside to the square of the town of Hyrule. Slowing to a trot, Coquina wound her way through the streets, which were strangely empty. Where _was _everyone? Coquina pulled up in front of the bazaar and strained her ears to hear any sound. A dull roar was coming from the practice grounds just outside the western town walls. She turned her horse in that direction.

When she reached the grounds, Coquina gasped, finding it full of people. _The entire town of Hyrule must be here_, she thought. She dismounted, gave her horse to an attending groom, and lifted Link out of the basket. As she got closer, Coquina saw that many of the folk present were men with elegant swords. By the way they stood, Coquina could tell most of the men were knights.

Coquina remembered Garret saying something about a gathering of the knights of Hyrule sometime soon, but he had not been very specific. She sighed. If these were knights, then at least one of them was bound to know the whereabouts of the _Master_ of the Knights.

Coquina walked forward and tapped the shoulder of the knight nearest her. "Excuse me?" she asked politely.

The knight turned around and bowed graciously. "Is there something I can do for you, milady?"

"Do you know where I can find Sir Garret of Chastrion?" she asked him politely.

The knight shook his head. "I'm sorry, milady, but I haven't seen him."

"Thank you," she said. As she turned away, Coquina heard a voice call out to her.

"Did you say you were looking for Sir Garret, milady?" A young man with unruly back hair smiled at her from a few paces away.

"Talmar!" She hurried over to him. The young knight reached out and embraced her. Sir Talmar was Garret's younger brother who lived and served at Chastrion Manor as a knight of Hylian realm. He was well known and well liked at Chastrion, considering his generally optimistic and rather playful manner. "Where is he?"

Talmar smiled warmly at her. "See for yourself." He raised his hand and pointed up at a small hill at which everyone was gazing. Coquina followed his arm and was surprised to see Garret, chatting with a pair of guards, on the hill. He looked handsome, Coquina thought, with his armor polished and gleaming.

Beside Garret stood the Crown Prince of Hyrule, James. Thirty-four years of age, James was as handsome and worthy a prince as ever hoped for. Standing over the crowd with his arm around his wife, the recently crowned Princess Liana, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Within Liana's arms she held a bundle of rich azure cloths folded around a squirming baby.

Coquina smiled as she remembered that Liana had give birth to a healthy baby girl just two weeks before Coquina herself had had Link. The birth had at last soothed the pressure on James and Liana to provide an heir for when he ascended the throne. _The gathering today must be in honor of the newborn princess_, Coquina mused.

"What's going on?" she whispered to Talmar.

"It's the christening of the baby princess," he replied softly.

"What is Garret doing up there?" she asked.

Talmar shrugged. "Probably something important. Prince James must need a knight for the ceremony."

"You're a knight," Coquina remarked jokingly, knowing the answer to her question before she asked it. "Why aren't you up there instead?"

"Garret's the _Master_ of the Knights of Hyrule." Talmar rolled his eyes and smiled. "Almost as significant as our dear prince. _I_ can't claim such honor."

"I'll take your word for it." Coquina turned back to the hill. The prince was a strong man and had a heroic air about him. He was dressed in golden armor with a full-length red cloak sporting the Hylian crest, the great Triforce and the fire phoenix that protected it.

Prince James stepped forward and a silence fell over the assembled crowd. "I'd like to welcome you here today," he began, "for you are about to witness the christening of the new princess." The crowd cheered.

- Y -


	3. Chapter Two: The Princesses of Hyrule

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_** **— Chapter Two: The Princesses of Hyrule**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y-

"I regret that my father, King Clarence, could not be here today, due to his increasing illness," Prince James continued, "nor is my younger brother, Prince Phillip, able to join us, but that shall not prevent this event from taking place."

As the crowd applauded again, James beckoned two scribes to bring forward the holy water, blessed earlier that day in the Temple of Time by the high priest of Hyrule, Rauru. The water came from a fountain in the temple that flowed from a spring which was said to have existed since the Creation. The porcelain bowl that held it was etched with carefully structured designs. The scribes cautiously set the bowl at the prince's feet and backed away.

"Princess Liana," he said, "will you please step forward?"

Liana nodded and walked up to the water. An elegant tiara, crested with small emeralds to match her eyes, supported dark chocolate hair above her head. The princess was tall and slender with the lean frame of a twenty-nine year old. The train of her dress spread out gracefully behind her, its burgundy fabric glistening in the midday sun.

"High Priest Rauru, would you also step forward? The ceremony is in your hands."

Garret turned to look at the crowd as the portly, richly dressed priest stepped past. He spotted Coquina and smiled at her. She lifted her free arm and waved back.

"How come you weren't here earlier, my lady?" Talmar asked. Coquina turned back to him.

"_Someone_ didn't bother to wake me when he was leaving," she replied huffily.

"Garret came early this morning to meet me. Our group had only reached the walls last night," explained Talmar.

"Oh . . . ?" Coquina replied. Her eyes had returned to her husband. "Is that why you weren't home last night like we expected?"

"We were delayed in Tyrandora," Talmar explained. "The stable hands mixed up some horses and our leader's was given to a merchant by mistake. We had to knock on nearly every door in Tyrandora to ask the occupants for the horse."

"Who was leading?"

"Cerrello."

Coquina groaned. "That knight couldn't be _more_ picky about that beautiful white stallion he rides."

Talmar nodded. "It took us four hours to find it."

A minute of silence ensued as they watched Rauru wave a gold talisman over the holy water. "Might I ask the name of your new son?" Talmar queried, eyes still on the priest.

"What? Oh, by the goddesses!" Coquina's eyes narrowed. "Didn't you receive a message?" She shifted Link in her arms.

Talmar shook his head, a grim expression suddenly clouding his face. Coquina could feel his manner droop as he answered in a melancholy tone, "Not many messages make it to the Terminan front, remember?" Coquina nodded and she remembered quite well. While she was in labor, Talmar had been stationed on the border between Terminan Southern Swamp and the forested marsh surrounding Lake Hylia in Hyrule. The marsh near the Hylian village of Tyrandora was the most ideal place for the renegades to sneak into Hyrule.

For as long as the two countries had existed, Hyrule and Termina had been enemies. The Terminans had heard of the Triforce's power to grant the wishes of its possessor. When they learned of its whereabouts, they set out to steal it. Though they had, to this day, failed, the Hylians continued to fight to keep the thieving Terminans from gaining their sacred emblem.

That crisis was part of the series of events that prompted the ancient Sages to build the Temple of Time to protect the Sacred Realm, which the goddesses had created to house the Triforce. Nevertheless, the Royal Family kept a constant watch on the border, just in case. Every Hylian knight, including Garret, served on the Terminan front at least once in his life.

"Hmph." Coquina snorted at the lack of accuracy from her messenger. "Well, his name is Link Erdrich."

Talmar leaned over to gaze at Link. Link opened his eyes and reached one tiny arm out of his blankets. Talmar chuckled. "He has your eyes, my lady."

The knight straightened and Link began to fuss. Coquina bent over to hush him.

"And his father's spirit," Talmar laughed.

Coquina smiled and stood as Rauru began to speak. While they had been talking, the priest had publicly blessed the holy water. Now he held the baby girl over the water in an offering fashion, her lacy gown falling over the water and onto the ground.

"And now, Great Goddesses of the Creation, we ask Your divine blessing upon this child." Rauru handed the baby back to her mother and dipped his hands in the holy water. "May she hold Din's Strength and Power." He touched the two dripping fingers to the baby's forehead.

- Y -

Deep in the desert far from Hyrule Castle, the sands wafted about in a wild frenzy. The red winds that bore them tumbled about the fortress, searching. It was time for the chosen one to be recognized. The shifting gusts came to a brief moment's rest as they sensed a doorway before them. Though this door looked no different from the others around it, the crimson mist crept beneath it.

There was a young man inside with tanned skin and flaming red hair pacing the floor restlessly. Night had fallen and the occupants of the fortress were on their way to the dining hall. Soon he would have to make his appearance there, which was the last thing he wanted to do.

The red cloud crept along the floor to his feet. The young king, known as Ganondorf, was completely ignorant of its presence until it had suddenly attached itself to his leg. He jumped and tried to kick it away, but it began to climb. As the mists wrapped around his body, Ganondorf gave up and a chilled calm settled over the room. He closed his eyes as the blood-red haze absorbed into his skin.

When he opened them, a strange crimson fog confronted him. Ganondorf tried to peer through it, but his vision blurred. Sketchy scenes passed before his eyes like a slideshow, leaving him with a feeling of detachment from his body. Fire. Chaos. Blood. As he watched, a chanting myth came into hearing.

_In a Realm beyond sight,  
The sky shines gold not blue,  
There, the Triforce's might,  
Makes mortal dreams come true_

Before him lay something shining bright as the desert sun, looking like gold but surely worth far more. Greed welled up in the king and he knew he had to have it. He reached out his hands and the vision disappeared, leaving him again in the dank room in the desert fortress. Ganondorf folded his arms in frustration. Such a strange vision . . . what did it mean? He pondered the possible significance as he strapped a long scimitar to his side.

It did not take Ganondorf long to realize that deciphering visions was not his strong point, for the meaning of his own remained unclear. However, though he himself could not make sense of it, he knew of someone who could—two ancient witches who lived far across the desert in great stone colossus. There was something unusual about the two sorceress sisters, something not quite right. They were said to have lived forever and knew all the dark secrets of the past. Ganondorf knew there was no one else in the desert that could possibly make sense of his vision like the witches. Though his sisters had told him many times that the witches were beings of pure evil, the memory of the golden object filled Ganondorf with the deepest desire to obtain it and nothing so trivial as one's morals would sway his aspiration.

Quietly, Ganondorf crept out of his room and silently made his way though its twisting passages outside. At that moment, the halls were empty, but there would be people looking for him very soon, wondering why he had not joined them at dinner. He reached the gates to the desert waste quickly, relieved to find them not yet closed for the night.

He stole through the waste with the ease of one who had lived his entire life in the struggle of the desert. Though stinging winds bit his face and the orange globe of the sun disappeared beneath the rolling hills of sand, Ganondorf reached the colossus quickly, after only an hour.

Inside the antediluvian structure, everything was silent, so quite he could hear his mild breathing magnified as if he were panting from a long run. His footsteps echoed noisily against the sandstone walls, each step a pounding clomp. Ganondorf looked around slowly and, though he saw signs that this part of the colossus was in use, if not recently, found the witches nowhere to be seen.

He stopped uncertainly in the center of the entrance room, glancing around and wondering what to do. It was as he stood looking slightly confused at the entrance of the Desert Colossus did Ganondorf realize that perhaps he had not thought this plan very well through. Suddenly, memories of stories about the witches were jumping to his mind, tales of black magic and demonic association. However, if these things were true, the room in which he waited did not betrayed no sign of their existence.

Ganondorf shifted his weight from one foot to another as he tried to put the memories out of mind. Focusing exclusively on his recent vision, the young king closed his eyes and tried to visualize every detail of the golden object, the way the sunlight glinted off its glasslike surface, the sparkling radiance of its mysterious power. The relic in mind, Ganondorf found it easier to convince himself that enlisting the help of the witches was a sound idea.

He opened his eyes and looked around. In the time he had been within the colossus, he had expected the witches to sense his presence like a disturbance of a delicate balance within the building. Apparently, however, they were not as attuned to their habitat as he thought. Perhaps it would be a good idea to try calling them. Though part of his mind doubted this was a good idea, he reasoned that this might be a good way to attract their attention and called out, "He-hello . . . ?"

The sound reverberated loudly off the stone walls. Ganondorf waited, subconsciously holding his breath, but the echo of his voice disappeared and still the witches did not come. "Hello?" he called again. "Witches of the Desert Colossus?"

Again, nothing happened. Feeling frustrated, Ganondorf considered turning around and returning to the fortress, but the thought barely had time to solidify when suddenly, a blue orb appeared to his left. Abruptly, Ganondorf alert became and whirled around to face it, while catching a glimpse out of the corner of his right eye of a red orb. The two orbs began to glow and took human shape, revealing two haggled old women seated on knobby broomsticks, hovering some feet above the sandstone floor.

The women were both tiny twisted beings whose immense age was quite evident to the on looking king, wrapped in off-white robes striped with red and blue, their wizened white hair wrapped up atop their heads with similar white cloths. More to the point, the women were identical, save for one thing. Whereas the one to Ganondorf's left wore a jagged cut sapphire on her forehead, her sister's gem of the same form was a ruby. Exchanging leering glances at one another, the two witches smiled, showing two sets of rotted yellow teeth, and slowly began to circle their visitor.

The one with the sapphire cackled. "Well, well, Koume. Look what's here." Her voice was scratchy and made a shallow rasping whenever she drew a breath.

"Eeeee heee heee . . . Dragmire," jeered the one with the ruby.

"Which one is it now, Kotake?" the first asked as she flew beside the second. "Metoryo?"

The first witch, Kotake, squinted her eyes. "I don't think so. I don't remember Metoryo having so much hair."

Koume glared at her. "So which one is this?"

"How should I know?" Kotake demanded, and then asked Ganondorf crossly, "Which Dragmire are you?"

"Ganondorf, forty-seventh line," he informed them.

"You were nowhere close," Kotake accused Koume. "Metoryo was thirty-ninth line."

"Bah, they're all the same," Koume retorted bitterly.

"Just stupid mortals," added Kotake. The witches cackled in unison.

"So, Ganondorf Dragmire, what are you doing here?" Koume flicked him a suspicious look. "Come to try to drive us away like the last king?" She and Kotake laughed as Ganondorf remembered the fate of his predecessor, body mutilated beyond recognition and spirit crushed from existence. Since that incident, no one in the desert had dared challenge the witches.

"No," he replied. "I actually came to ask for your help."

Kotake raised an eyebrow. "Our help?"

Koume smiled a twisted smile at him. "Since when does a great Dragmire require the help of two humble souls like ourselves?"

Ganondorf explained about the vision, careful not to leave out any details. He knew one thing about visions and that was the smallest detail could make the greatest difference. When he finished, he noticed that the witches, who had been watching over him with leering superiority, hovered before him with mingled looks of awe and interest.

"What does it mean?" he asked hopefully.

Their shock disappeared instantly and was masked by satisfied smirks once again. Whether he knew it or not at the time, Ganondorf had taken his first step to becoming a servant of the witches' dark magic. His desire to acquire the golden object, his greed, fed the power of the witches' souls and they knew he was within their power to manipulate.

"Have you ever heard of the Triforce, Ganondorf Dragmire?" Koume asked, grinning. The king shook his head. "It is a sacred relic of the Hylian race, a golden set of triangles said to contain the power to grant the heart's greatest wishes of the one who possesses it. You saw it in your vision, you could feel its power, couldn't you?"

He nodded.

"Do you want that power for yourself?" Kotake queried. Though Ganondorf did not notice, both she and her sister had altered their scolding tones to a more pleasant, persuasive sound. "Can't you just see what you could do with your every wish granted? You see the suffering of your sisters, the vile death winds that blow from lands to the west, bringing pain and suffering to your valley. They are dying, are they not? Your sisters, from breathing the tormenting hurt borne by those winds."

"They're dying," Ganondorf agreed. His sisters _were _dying, but what caused this was still a mystery. No one in the valley could make sense of it. A woman dies of suffocation, her lungs later discovered knotted and teeming with maggots. Soon after, someone else is dead of similar cause. At first, many thought it to be something in the food, but even with the careful observations, the cooks took as they prepared meals, the deaths continued. Ganondorf had so many memories bearing images of his sisters' torment. Knotted lungs and throats, maggot-infested bowels, pain and suffering that seemed to pierce the souls of the living sharper than a dagger's blade.

"They are," Koume echoed. "You want to save them, do you not?"

"Yes," Ganondorf replied. Nothing in the world, not even the golden Triforce from his vision, could compare to his desire to protect his sisters. He was their king, the one who watched over them as they had done for he as a child. _My sisters . . . I _will _help you._

Kotake and Koume turned to each other, both having sensed Ganondorf's thought. There was malice in their eyes and sly undertones in their words, as they believed without a doubt, that this Dragmire would be the one to possess the Triforce. So many years since the fall of the Hylia had they waited for a chance when they could hold the relic in their gnarled hands and have their wishes granted. Wishes of power, of magic, and of darkness. Wishes that this minion could help fulfill.

"There is a way, Ganondorf Dragmire, that you could help them," Koume said. "The Triforce from your vision has the power to drive away the evil spirits that haunt your valley."

Ganondorf turned to her.

Koume smiled. "Would you like to know what we have seen in your vision?"

For the first time since he had entered the Desert Colossus, Ganondorf answered without any reservation. "Yes."

"The fire you saw is an image of the past, Ganondorf Dragmire," Kotake began. "To understand your fate you must first understand your past, present, and future. The fires of the past are memories of your childhood, fourteen years past, to the War of the Races when the Hylian army set your home aflame. Many women perished that day, your mother included. Many, but by some miracle, not you."

"Fate did not want you to die yet," continued Koume. "Fate has had other plans for you, and we have been watching you very closely to see just what is in store for you."

Slowly, their circling halted and Kotake hovered before the young king, staring down her long nose at him with tiny black eyes.

"Your present came to you in the form of Chaos," she resumed. "Chaos once ruled this world, but the Hylian Goddesses brought it to order. Yet, still Chaos lurks within the depths of our world. War raises Chaos, Ganondorf Dragmire, and with Chaos comes great opportunity. In something close to a month's time from now, the Hylians will plunge themselves into civil war. It will end a dark day in mid winter when the true King of Hyrule will take what is rightfully his. Gain his trust with a word of your service to rebuild his country.

"Blood is your future. Everything is blood and you will draw it from Hyrule to wash away the suffering of your sisters. After ten years in the service of the Hylian king, you will be most trusted, with great influence over his decisions. Convince him it is best if he is to grant you the power of the Triforce."

"But what if he is not willing?" Ganondorf asked.

"Then you will have to take it from him. What need do the Hylians need for the power of the Triforce? There is no suffering in Hyrule. The people are not dying of any evil cause. They have everything, and they covet the power of the Triforce to fill their greed." Kotake and Koume lifted higher into the air and resumed their circling. "If the king will not give you this power you must raise an army and overthrow him. Take over Hyrule and use the Triforce's power to blow Hyrule's good winds to the valley and heal your sisters."

"My sisters," Ganondorf repeated. "But what if I cannot get the Triforce?"

Koume snickered. "There is a little myth written long ago by the Hylia which goes 'In a Realm beyond sight, the sky shines gold not blue, there the Triforce's might, makes mortal dreams come true,' Many centuries ago, the Hylia were the holders of the Triforce and they blessed their land with its prosperity."

"I heard that song in my vision," said Ganondorf.

"Precisely." Kotake and Koume faced him side by side. "It tells of the sights the Hylia saw within the Sacred Realm, the place where the Triforce resides."

"If the Hylia could get the Triforce," Kotake said with a wicked glint in her eye, "then so can you."

- Y -

"Allow her to possess Farore's Righteousness and Courage." At the christening, the priest, Rauru, touched the baby princess on the head again. As he spoke those words, a mysterious light began to glow around Coquina. She looked about her in frenzy, hugging Link to her breast. The emerald mist clung to her dress and began to climb its folds. She looked over to Talmar for support, but he stared straight ahead, oblivious to what was happening to her.

"Talmar!" she screamed. "Talmar!"

However, he did not answer. In fact, as she looked around, everyone seemed frozen. She waved her free hand in Talmar's face, but he continued to stare ahead into nothing. Frightened, Coquina looked back at the mist, which had climbed her dress to reach her waist.

Anxiously, Coquina looked down at Link, expecting to see him on the verge of crying. Instead, he looked eagerly at her then tried to turn his gaze to the ground. Coquina held him back, but as he started to cry, realized that she might as well let him see. She helped to turn him face down. Link let free a squeal of laughter as the mist reached out to him. All impulse told her to pull him back, but something made her stop. Coquina watched in shock as the bottle green mists lashed around her son.

Instead of pulling him away, however, the mists dissolved into thin air. Or had they sunken into his skin? Coquina turned Link upright to find that he looked the same as always. Yet, as she peered into his eyes, a green light flashed and a vision consumed her.

Lightening cracked across the sky. The wind howled in the trees as she heard the sounds of horses' whinnies. Then, Garret stood before her, dressed in his war armor. He handed her a bundle and she picked up Link. Garret ushered her out of the manor and put her on a horse. Then he told her to ride, but when she asked where, the vision disappeared and she stood again on the practice grounds.

Talmar gave her a concerned look. "Are you all right, Coquina?"

Coquina nodded._What just happened?_She looked down at Link, but he looked the same as always. Except one thing—his blankets had been scarlet with gold lining when she wrapped him in them earlier. But now . . . now they were a deep forest green with silver trim. So, it was not a dream she had just had. But, if not a dream, than what?

Shaking her head, Coquina looked up again to find Rauru still stood upon the hill, blessing the princess, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "But most importantly," he continued, placing his trickling hands on the child's head once more, "may she be blessed with all the Sincerity and Wisdom of Nayru."

Another cheer rose up from the crowd, but Liana stumbled back, hand on her head. As she dropped to the ground, Prince James hurried over to her. He knelt beside her and they talked in hushed voices. Liana pointed to the blue blankets in her arms. Wait, blue blankets? When the ceremony had begun, the baby princess's blankets had been royal violet with gold trim. Now they were the most beautiful indigo hue Coquina had ever seen.

"What's going on up there?" Talmar whispered.

Coquina shook her head. "I have no idea."

The minutes ticked by as the assembled crowd began to wonder what had happened to make the princess stumble back. It was a hot day in the middle of summer and not an ideal time to hold a christening; the princess might have gotten too warm. Soon, however, the people began to complain.

Presently, a woman who had been standing off to the side came forward. She had midnight black hair, slightly tinted blue, which hung far past her shoulders, some drawn upon the top of her head with a dark violet ribbon. The woman wore a loose-sleeved shirt with color matching the ribbon in her hair, and sleeves that hung down to her knees. Her shirt tucked into a pair of loose cerulean pants, with short blue and black boots with silver lining. Her belt was a deep cobalt blue lined with red, which wound its way around her waist, across her chest, and around her hips. Over her shoulders hung a cloak the same dark color as the blue in her belt. It fastened at her chest with a copper brooch, shaped like the crest of the shadow folk of Kakariko Village. The woman was a Sheikah.

The Sheikah swiftly pushed past bystanders before turning to Garret and handing him her staff. It was tall and silver with a diamond shaped structure at the top. Encased within the hollowed head of the staff was a glowing gem. It was as black as the purest evil, yet the gem held no dark powers; it gleamed like sparkling gold, yet gave off no light.

The Sheikah knelt before James and Liana. "Is everything all right?" she asked with concern.

James shook his head. "Poor Li was about to faint."

The Sheikah pushed a few strands of unruly black hair out of her eyes. Strange eyes, they were. Rather than green, blue, or brown like a normal Hylian's, hers were red. Ruby red. Blood red.

The ancient Sheikahs long ago were said to have drunk blood as part of their hexing rituals. It was rumored that the blood was what caused their eyes to turn red. Although what was left of that race had done away with hexes and black magic to live as Hylians, their eyes retained the bright scarlet color, as pure as their ancestors'.

"Princess," the Sheikah asked softly, "what happened?"

"It was . . ." Liana paused and collected her thoughts. "Everything just . . . stopped . . . I was frozen in place . . . and then this, this blue mist, began to climb up my dress . . . I tried to call for help, but no one was moving . . . and then the mist settled on her . . ." Liana motioned to the baby in her arms. "It . . . it clung to her and then it just . . . disappeared . . . I looked into her eyes and this vision flashed before my own."

"Vision?" asked the Sheikah with a hint of surprise.

Liana nodded. "It was very short but I saw fire . . . blades flashing . . . and there was a pain in my back . . . Then, I snapped out of it and was back here . . . but when I looked down at my daughter to see if she was all right, I saw that her blankets had turned blue . . . they had been violet before."

By this point, Liana shook cataclysmically. She dropped her head into her arms and began to sob. The Sheikah rested a calm hand lightly on Liana's shoulder.

"I realize what has happened to you must have been a terrible shock, Princess," the Sheikah told her in a soothing voice as she stroked Liana's hair, "but it is imperative that we finish the ceremony."

Liana nodded in agreement. "Of coarse. Please forgive me."

The Crown Prince helped her to her feet, the worried look still in his eyes. She hastily rubbed her eyes with her sleeve as they turned back to the crowd. The people faced away from the hill as they compared theories as to why the princess had fallen to the ground.

"Might I have your attention again?" the prince called above the din of the crowd. A scattered few looked up at him. Soon more people turned their heads and others followed their example until James finally had everyone's attention again.

"Thank you." He regarded them. "I apologized for what happened. Princess Liana was a bit overcome by this blistering summer weather we're having, but she's fine now and we can continue the ceremony."

- Y -


	4. Chapter Three: Knight of the Realm

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y-

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter 3: Knight of the Realm**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

Liana gathered her baby in her arms and walked back to Rauru, the priest. The Sheikah woman turned to Garret, who handed her the staff, obviously grateful to be rid of it. She strode a few paces behind him, grasped the staff with two hands, and turned to watch the rest of the service.

"Now, would you please step forward, Master Sir Garret?" Rauru motioned him to the water. "As Master of the Knights of Hyrule and therefore the most trusted knight, I ask that you bestow the knight's honor upon the princess."

Garret drew his sword and placed the flat of it carefully on the top of the baby's head. "As the great Silver Legacy continues, so does the Knight's Line. I speak now for that line, and we that it represents, the knights of the Hylian realm, when I swear this oath, the honor of which has been given to each generation of the Silver Legacy. Forever shall we be by your side to fight your battles, to unite your subjects, and protect you for all time. Blessed Princess of Hyrule, you have our word of honor."

Liana nodded and held the tiny princess over the holy water. Garret knelt on one knee before the infant princess. "On behalf of my daughter, I accept your vow, Master Sir Garret."

Garret bowed his head and backed away.

Rauru regarded the Sheikah. "If you would please step forward, Lady . . . ?" His voice trailed off expectantly.

"Impa," the Sheikah replied as she walked past Garret, handing him the staff again. "Just Impa."

The priest nodded. "As you wish."

"Princess Liana, this woman asked to be guardian of your child. As you have had several days to get to know her, do you accept her proposal?" he asked Liana.

"Yes, I accept," she replied, in a more solemn manner than was expected, as she held out her baby to Impa. Startled, Impa accepted the child and cradled it in her arms. The infant princess was the most beautiful baby Impa had ever seen. She had pales arms, a round face, and a quite innocent demeanor. Her eyes were like her father's, as they shown like the most rare of blue diamonds.

At that moment the baby smiled, her jeweled eyes gleaming. Impa returned the grin lovingly. Then, remembering where she was, the Sheikah looked up at Rauru to find him waiting patiently for her in order to continue.

"And do you, Lady Impa, swear to do as you so honorably promised, to care for and protect this child, even in the face of death itself?" he asked her solemnly.

Speech beyond her grasp, Impa silently nodded.

"Then, if you would . . ." Rauru's voice sounded beside her, but Impa heard nothing. She became lost to the world as she looked back at the baby princess in her arms, realizing now that she finally had a child. For as long as she could remember, the Sheikah had wanted a baby of her own. However, with no one to wed her, she surrendered her wish and moved on. Yet, she had not so quickly forgotten her longing.

Now, her wish had been fulfilled. Not be a child of her flesh and blood but still a child. This angelic princess was now in Impa's care; she would raise the child almost as her own, like the other Sheikah had done before her.

The baby princess reached up a tiny hand to touch Impa's cheek. Impa's eyes widened in surprise and the princess giggled. The Sheikah beamed at the child who, in return, grinned back.

As Coquina watched the baby princess and her new attendant, the lady was surprised. She had heard plenty of legends about Sheikah, the ancient race that had inhabited the area that stood now as Kakariko Village. The Sheikah had been a bloodthirsty race at the time, not unlike the savage Gerudo women, who lived in the desert far to the west.

_The Book of Mudora_ told of the Sheikah as at first being an evil race of devil worshipers. They secluded themselves at the foot of Death Mountain. There, the people of the shadows, lured innocent travelers into the village, bewitched them with black magic, and sacrificed them to the dragon Volvagia who lived in a lava filled crater at the top of the mountain.

However, at some point, one of the Sheikah had fallen in love with a woman he and his fellows had captured. The man forced his friends to let her go and, in her gratitude, she agreed to marry him. This first joining between a Hylian and a Sheikah drove the others to change from their old ways and accept those of the new. Some years later, the Sheikah swore their loyalty to the Silver Legacy of Hyrule.

Generations after, the King of Hyrule announced the birth of a son. Yet, he had no one to take care of the child, for the queen had died in childbirth. Then, a Sheikah man named Karol, who had descended from the Hylian woman who had lived in Kakariko, volunteered to watch the child. Karol became the prince's constant companion, attendant, bodyguard, and best friend. The years past, the prince became king, and he and his wife had a daughter. Karol went into his village and asked his daughter to be the child's attendant.

The tradition carried on for hundreds of years without pause, or so said _The Book of Mudora_, Hyrule's chronicle of history. Now, the baby princess had an attendant, just as her father had when he was a child. This red-eyed Sheikah sorceress was to be it.

Coquina had never believed before that the changed Sheikah were trustworthy; she felt they still held true the customs of their ancient ancestors. There had to be a reason they kept their village at Death Mountain closed off to all people but their own. The Sheikah were just waiting for the right time to strike against the Royal Family.

However, as Coquina watched Impa holding the baby princess, the Sheikah's expression had been anything but bloodthirsty. It had been one of surprise, which turned to joy and . . . content, it must be called. Yes, the red-eyed dark sorceress had expressed contention as she cradled the child in her arms.

Coquina's new ideas and the facts she had been raised on fought each other in her mind, leaving her thoroughly confused. She tried to push the thoughts from her mind, but they persisted. Sheikah were pure evil—there was not an ounce of compassion in their veins--or was there? As Coquina watched Impa with the princess, she allowed her new ideas to solidify. This Sheikah woman could not be much younger than Coquina herself. She seemed Hylian in every aspect, yet her appearance and her ancestry spoke otherwise.

Then, a single voice deep inside Coquina rang out. Impa was presently in the same position as Coquina herself; she had just received a new baby to care for and her entire life was changing. It was not an unhappy feeling, but quite the opposite. That was when Coquina realized, with faultless certainty, that Impa would never harm the baby princess.

Talmar nudged her with his elbow. "Who is that up there, holding the baby?"

"That's her new caretaker, Lady Impa," Coquina replied, eyes still locked on the Sheikah.

"_The _Lady Impa?" Talmar echoed. "The Sheikah who opened Kakariko Village to the rest of Hyrule?"

"What?" Coquina faced him in astonishment. "Kakariko Village is open!?"

Talmar nodded confirmedly. "Yes, only two weeks now, but the news spread across Hyrule faster than a Gerudo thief. I heard from Sir Cerrello, while we were in Tyrandora, that one of the Sheikah women, named Impa, had finally convinced the rest that they could afford to open their village to the public. I believe it's to convince the Silver Legacy that the Sheikah are as good as their words."

Coquina needed no more persuasion of the true decency that the Sheikah had always possessed. Moreover, to Coquina, that held Impa as the most noble of all.

"Lady Impa?" Rauru tapped the Sheikah's shoulder. Impa started, looked away from the princess and back to the priest. "Would you please give the child to Princess Liana?"

Impa flushed as she handed Liana the bundle of blankets. She walked back to Garret and collected her staff once more. Then, for absolutely no reason other than she felt Impa deserved it, Coquina burst into cheer. Garret stared at his wife in disbelief; what had gotten into her? Impa too turned her head, as did many of the others, to see what all the commotion was over.

Talmar gave Coquina a confused looked, but applauded with her. Sporadically, others joined until the entire assembly was screaming ovation though only one person knew why.

"What's going on down there?" Impa whispered to Garret, which was actually more of a shout.

Garret shrugged. "I have no idea, but I think Coquina has gone mad. She isn't the kind of person to do this sort of thing."

"Coquina?"

"My wife." Garret pointed to Coquina, who was at the back of the crowd. "The woman in the amber dress with the green bundle in her arms."

"Did she just have a baby?" Impa asked, shifting her staff from one hand to the other.

"Two months ago," Garret answered proudly. "He's a healthy boy. Would you like to see him after the ceremony?"

"That would be nice, yes," she responded as Prince James raised his arms to get the people's attention.

"Please everyone!" he yelled. "The ceremony is not over yet!"

The people quickly became docile once more. Coquina was last silenced as she shouted a final time and, with a smile, closed her mouth. Rauru nodded his thanks to the prince and motioned Liana back to him.

"And now, as the ceremonies draw to a close, only one thing remains: the final divine blessing of the princess." The priest dipped his hands in the holy water once more and, this time, placed them on the child's temples. "By the power of the Golden Goddesses of Creation, the Sacred Realm of legends past, and the great Triforce of Hyrule, I bless thee, Zelda Gwaelin, Princess of Hyrule, with the graces and sanctity of your patrons Din, Farore, and Nayru."

Another round of applause drowned out whatever else he said. Coquina covered Link's delicate ears with her hands as she screamed her consent with the rest.

- Y -

It was a good while later when Rauru, the priest, walked from the grounds quietly. He would have to miss the christening celebration, but a council of the Sages had been called in the Temple of Light, situated within the heart of the Sacred Realm.

Rauru made his way briskly through the deserted streets of the town of Hyrule. It appeared the entire town had turned out for the christening of Princess Zelda. _All for the better, _he thought to himself as he pushed open one of the doors to the Temple of Time. _No chance of someone wandering in to see me open the gate to the Sacred Realm. _

The Temple of Time was the Hylian sanctuary and place of worship where, from all reaches of Hyrule, people came to pay homage to the golden goddesses. It was a vast building of stone and mortar that had been built centuries ago as the center of Hylian religion. However, there was more to the temple than most knew; it also contained the entrance to the Golden World, the Sacred Realm.

Rauru walked to the front of the temple and placed his right hand on the altar, whispering a few words in an ancient tongue. The wall behind the altar trembled and slowly split down the center, revealing a cylindrical hidden room. Rauru entered it quickly as the secret door slid closed behind him. He raised his arms above his head and an orb of light appeared between his hands. In a flash of light, the priest was gone.

"Welcome, Sage of Light," said a cool voice. "The others have already gathered."

Rauru opened his eyes to find himself in the Chamber of the Sages, within the Temple of Light. The other five Sages nodded to him in greeting.

The one who had spoken, the Zoran Sage of Water, folded his arms impatiently. "What has happened that you must call us here? Some of us don't have much longer until mortality forbids us to be seen in the world of the living. We will have to spend another century in this Din-forsaken realm before we can go out into Hyrule again, and you waste our time calling us back?"

"The new seventh Sage has been born," Rauru answered bluntly.

The Water Sage held up his arms in exasperation. "I think we all sensed _that_."

"Not another Kokiri like last time, I hope," grumbled the Sage of Fire.

Rauru shook his head. "Hylian."

The other Sages groaned. "We've had more Hylian seventh Sages than all other races put together," protested the Shadow Sage glumly.

"Oh, that's an exaggeration," Rauru countered. "Each race has had an equal amount."

"Speak for yourself," the Sage of Spirit said as she pulled a strand of red hair into a braid. "The last time there was a Gerudo eventh Sage was Seclorya, eighteen generations ago. And she never knew it."

"Is our Sage a commoner?" the Fire Sage offered. "Or perhaps he's a wealthy merchant like the last Hylian."

"_She _is the Princess of Hyrule," Rauru corrected.

"Princess, huh?" The Sage of Forest exchanged glances with his fairy. "Well, she'll have a lot on her plate if another racial war comes up."

The Spirit Sage laughed in agreement. "Yeah, she'll have to draw up battle plans to fight a war, _and_ help us to stop it."

"It's not a matter of _if,_" Rauru interjected. "but _when _war begins again."

"Are you still referring to that pathetic prophecy?" asked the Water Sage antagonistically. "_Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi _said nothing about a racial war."

"Yes, it did. _You_ just don't pay attention to prophecies," the Forest Sage put in.

"Prophecies never come true," the Sage of Water protested. "And that Havieze woman is a fraud."

"She's an exclusion to the laws of Hyrule," the Sage of Fire corrected. "I promise you; the Goddesses have chosen her to foretell Their events."

"Why do you think she has lived so long?" added the Spirit Sage.

"She hasn't lived _that _long," the Sage of Water flicked his fins in frustration. Arguing with the other Sages was always a losing battle.

"You may be a bit behind, but three thousand years is a little longer than the average Hylian life span." The Sage of Forest pointed out. "She's one of the ancient Hylia, but even they didn't live more than two hundred years."

"_She's_ a Hylia?" repeated the Water Sage.

"The last Hylia," the Sage of Spirit corrected. "The Goddesses enhanced her powers and gave Havieze eternal life, like us."

"But—"

"Just drop it!" yelled the Sage of Shadow in exasperation. "We don't really need to discuss the blind prophetess right now. Let Rauru speak."

Rauru nodded his thanks to the Shadow Sage. "Back to the subject, there _will _be another racial war; it is inevitable. The new Dragmire of the Gerudo, Ganondorf, will lead the race against the Hylians, in ten years or so."

"Goddesses!" exclaimed the Forest Sage. "So soon?"

"So our new Sage _will _be involved," laughed the Sage of Spirit. "Since Rauru and I will be at each other's throats."

"You're partially right," Rauru told her. "She will be involved, but she will not lead us to end the war."

The Sages looked at each other in confusion. "Why not?" the Fire Sage finally asked.

"Well—"

"Wait a moment," the Water Sage interrupted. "Has the princess seen the vision?" Rauru shook his head. "Then your story will have to wait; we must send it to her now."

Back on the practice grounds, Princess Zelda Gwaelin suddenly began to squirm in her mother's arms. No one seemed to notice the baby princess's anxiety, which was not from the excitement around her, but the pink haze that clouded her sight. Several minutes past before, through the fog, she saw an old face. Then, five more appeared next to him.

Each said something in turn before disappearing in a flash of colored light; green, red, blue, violet, orange, and finally yellow. Suddenly, the six faces appeared again simultaneously. They said something in unison and a pink light shone behind them brighter than any of those preceding it. The flash blinded her but, a moment later, she could again see the practice grounds. Six immortal Sages smiled in the Sacred Realm as the new seventh Sage sagged into her mother's arms.

- Y -

When the last cheers were silent and the crowd began to disperse, Coquina made her way to the hill on which Garret awaited her. She waved to him and he rushed to her, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her. He set her down and looked serenely at his son, who gazed up at his father and smiled.

"The ceremony was beautiful," Coquina said, "but you should have told me it was today."

Garret looked away sheepishly. "We had a lot of preparations to make and I really didn't want to wake you and Link so early."

Coquina glared at her husband. "That's not a very good excuse."

Talmar laughed and clapped his brother on the back. "Nice try, Garret." Garret shot him a look.

"So how was the front?" Garret asked. "See anything?"

Talmar shook his head. "Not a goddess-forsaken thing. That was the longest three months I've ever been through. And I certainly can't see why we have to be out there in the first place."

"Nor I," Garret assured him.

"Shall we go?" Coquina asked.

"Not yet," answered Garret. "First there's someone who wants to meet you."

He took her hand and led her back to the hill. Around her, people were chattering about how oddly the ceremony had proceeded and what the baby princess was in store for. Garret passed them by until he reached a woman with her back to them, cobalt cloak flapping in the slight breeze. Garret reached out to tap her shoulder, but the woman turned around, having sensed their presence.

"Hello again, Sir Garret," Impa smiled at him. "This is your wife, I take it?"

Garret nodded and turned to Coquina. "Coquina; this is Lady Impa, the princess's caretaker; Impa, this is my wife, Lady Coquina."

Impa bowed. "A pleasure to meet you, my lady."

Coquina flushed. "Please, call me Coquina."

Impa smiled at her. "Very well. What did—" Impa's words were cut off as Liana swiftly walked up to the Sheikah and handed her the baby princess.

"I'm sorry to drop her on you like this, but I'm still feeling a bit sick," Liana apologized.

Impa shook her head. "It's nothing, your highness. I was hoping you'd give her to me soon."

Liana gave her a look. "Really?"

"Yes," Impa replied. "I took this job because I've always wanted a child of my own."

"And you can't have one?" Liana asked curiously. Garret whispered something in her ear as Impa shot her a look. Instantly, Liana began to back away. "Sorry. I know I shouldn't have asked. Have a nice evening."

Impa shrugged. "I hope she didn't take that the wrong way."

Coquina laughed, wondering how she could have ever thought this Sheikah was so horrible.

"There's going to be a banquet tonight," Impa said as she walked over to the trees lining the practice grounds. She sat down underneath one and motioned Coquina to join her. Coquina smiled and obliged. "Are you and your husband planning to attend?"

"I'm not sure . . ." Coquina turned to Garret. "Garret! Will you come over here?"

Garret cantered over to the two women and knelt beside Coquina. "What is it, my love?"

"The Royal Family is having a banquet tonight in honor of Princess Zelda," she told him. "Will you be going?"

"Yes," Garret smiled. "Didn't you know?"

Coquina gave him an angry look. "How could I when you never tell me anything?" she said pointedly.

Garret groaned. "Coquina, I'm really sorry about that. Can we please drop it?"

"If you let me come to the banquet with you."

"Certainly." Garret stood up and walked back to Talmar, muttering under his breath, "I'd been planning to anyway."

- Y -


	5. Chapter Four: Zelda's Lullaby

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Four: Zelda's Lullaby**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

That evening, Garret and Coquina halted their horses outside the Royal stables within the inner wall of Hyrule Castle. Garret dismounted and handed his reigns to the groom standing nearby. He turned to Coquina and lifted her out of the saddle.

Garret offered his arm to her, which she accepted gracefully. They made their way up the main road of the castle to the pair of great mahogany double doors of Hyrule Castle. The soldiers at the doors, as they saw Garret approaching, saluted smartly and allowed him and Coquina to enter. Garret led her through the foyer to green marble hall where the guests had congregated.

Coquina and Garret moved into the throng of people waiting for the servants to announce supper. She socialized with a few noblewomen she recognized, but spent much of the first hour waiting for Impa to appear. Finally, Coquina saw the Sheikah coming toward her. Coquina excused herself from the others and hurried over to her.

Impa had changed into beautiful sleeveless dress with a cerulean shawl. The dress had a long back and faded from sapphire blue at the neck to deep violet at the hem. Playfully stitched flames blossomed around the hem and the fire seemed to dance with every step she took.

"Hello again," Impa greeted her. "How are you?"

"Wonderful," Coquina answered. "And you?"

"About the same." Impa replied.

"Princess Liana hasn't taken her back yet?" Coquina waved her hand at the infant Princess Zelda, whom Impa still held in her arms.

Impa shook her head. "The Princess is still a bit . . . off color. She doesn't look like she can handle young Zelda and make an impression on the court, so I offered to care for the baby tonight."

"What really happened to her today?" Coquina asked curiously. "I get the feeling Prince James wasn't being quite truthful with the rest of us."

"No he wasn't," Impa explained. "The princess was visioning."

"Visioning?" Coquina raised and eyebrow. "Liana cannot vision. Only those born of the Silver Legacy have such powers." It was true that the Silver Legacy was blessed with special powers, similar to those the ancient Hylia had possessed, but those powers were only found now in pure Royals, those who had been born into the family. Liana had married the prince; that was her only connection to the Royal Family, the only thing that made her regal.

"And you're right," Impa agreed. "Liana can't vision, but I never said Liana was the one _having_ the vision."

"You mean . . . Zelda . . ." Coquina's eyes widened. "Liana saw it _through_ the baby princess?"

Impa nodded. "I think young Zelda has been blessed."

"Blessed?"

"By the goddesses," Impa explained. "Princess Liana told me that, while Rauru was asking for Nayru's blessing, everything froze. Then, she described a blue mist congregating at her feet. Liana was frightened, but there was no one could answer her calls for help. The mist made its way up her until it reached Princess Zelda. It wrapped around the baby and apparently disappeared."

"As if it sunk into the child's skin?" Coquina offered.

Impa raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know?"

"I saw the same thing."

Impa stared at her, wide-eyed. "You saw the blue mist creeping up around Liana?"

Coquina shook her head. "Not exactly. When Rauru had been talking about Farore, the world froze for me—no one heard a word I said. Then, that mist started to cling to my dress—but the mist that wrapped around me was green. Anyway, it worked its way up until it reached Link. It then enveloped him and absorbed into his skin. Then I saw fire. And Garret—he was telling me to run, so I got on a horse and hurried off but then, the scene faded away. After that, everything was fine and I hadn't missed a second of reality."

Impa scratched her chin with her free hand. "I've only heard legends about this. I never credited it to be true, but . . ." Her voice trailed off. "Maybe it is."

Perhaps there was more to this Sheikah than Coquina gave her credit. "What is it?"

"Do you know the Legend of Creation?" Impa asked.

"Well, of coarse," Coquina said it like it was a stupid question. "It's the first thing any child learns."

Impa shifted Zelda into her other arm. "Well, there is another thing about the Triforce that not many people know."

"What?" Coquina said with interest.

"If the Triforce _is_ obtained, it will grant that person's one wish. If the holder has a gracious heart in balance with all three aspects of the Triforce: Power, Wisdom, and Courage, they will lead Hyrule into a golden age of prosperity. However, if the person's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will split into three pieces, each representing the three aspects of the Triforce. Only the element of the Triforce that is most prominent in that person will stay with them. The others will take their places in two people prechosen by destiny to hold those parts."

"Then . . ." Coquina was quite confused by Impa's story, but one thing seemed to make sense, "I've just witnessed the . . . "

"The Selection of the Chosen Ones," Impa finished. "It sounds like your son, Link, was chosen by Farore. Zelda, it seems, has been chosen by Nayru."

"What about Din?" Coquina asked.

Impa concurred, "When Rauru announced Din's prowess, whomever was chosen by Din would have felt the same thing you and Liana had."

Coquina was speechless. Was acceptance like that even possible—that mortal beings could be so chosen by the goddesses? Moreover, what else was involved with Impa's strange legend that Coquina did not know of? What bidding of Theirs might her son play were the Triforce to be separated?

"Although," Impa added, "there is a very good chance I'm wrong. It _is_ only a legend, after all."

"Is there any way to tell?"

Impa thought about this for a moment before answering. "I've heard it said that the chosen ones will bear the sign of the Triforce, also known as the 'Mark of the Hero', on the back of their right hands."

Impa checked the princess's hand but, after a moment, shook her head. "No—it was only a legend. If you want the more likely explanation, you and Liana were both flustered by the heavy weather, having just given birth and all that. You both probably started to hallucinate and just happened to have similar delusions."

"I think that's all it really was," Coquina agreed.

Impa nodded. "All the excitement must have prompted me to make up some special exaggeration. I'm afraid I tend to do that sometimes."

Coquina and Impa laughed though, as people began to stare, they felt they must contain their pleasure.

"What are they gawking at?" Coquina asked harshly.

"Probably me," Impa shrugged.

"Why?" Coquina did not understand.

"I'm different."

Coquina narrowed her eyes. "That shouldn't make matter."

"Oh, really?" Impa stared at her. "Imagine this: you are a noble woman whose husband serves as a knight. You have six children, all of which are average Hylians. As long as you have lived here, Prince James was grown, thus no longer needing his attendant, Settral. One day, the prince shows up at the castle with a Sheikah in tow. You shrug it off—no big deal. One week later, you and your family attend the christening of the prince's daughter. There you find out that the Sheikah he had with him was to be the baby princess's attendant. You are outraged—how could this barbaric being possibly be worthy of taking care of that sweet baby princess?"

Coquina looked away in shame, remembering that she had thought the exact thing at the ceremony. Hylian society was to blame for the misunderstandings between the races. The writers of the Hylian history books had been quite racist, as opposed to liberal as they should have. But if she had realized she was wrong, couldn't everyone else? "Good point," Coquina replied, "but a person should never judge another on looks or race alone."

Impa tilted her head. "You've just learned that lesson today, haven't you?"

Seeing there was no point hiding the truth from the Sheikah, Coquina nodded. "Yes, I have. But perhaps they too shall realize their errors."

Impa snorted. "I doubt it."

Coquina shrugged.

The gesture caused Impa burst into laughter once more and this time they ignored the loaded glares of the others.

Coquina put her hands on her stomach to keep her sides from splitting. "Oh . . ." she wiped a tear from her eye. "I need to sit down." She said as she seated herself on a plush bench by the wall.

Then, out of nowhere, the infant princess in Impa's arms began to fuss. Coquina and Impa stared at the child. "She can't be hungry," Impa protested. "I fed her only half an hour ago."

"Perhaps she's tired," Coquina suggested.

"Then why won't she be quiet and go to sleep?" Impa asked hotly.

"You obviously have no experience with children," Coquina answered flatly. "You are supposed to lull babies into sleep."

"And how do you presume I am to do that?"

Coquina sighed. "A useful idea called lullabies."

"If your know so much," Impa handed Coquina the baby and crossed her arms, "_you _put her to sleep."

Without any further prompting, Coquina began to sing. A wandering melody, passed down as a lullaby for centuries. Its strange powers were able to ease children to sleep and it always worked on her son, Link.

"_Su amn lunaes,  
E tes bey aym duwwen,  
Taewing qua cmono,  
De sing aim hes song . . . _

"_Su amn driams,  
E acn't piik endese aim,  
Lon en hith blak,  
No tau've cum laong . . . _

"_Nad tau,  
Vise po aym lef,  
Tau geiv aim hue,  
De cray nu,  
Tau vise po aym solays,  
E fel aym lunaes,  
Weth song . . . _"

The strange words carried away from Coquina and drifted towards the crowd. People stopped their chatter as they became drowsy. They looked around, but their dulled senses kept them from noticing anything out of the ordinary.

"_Rulling ta sai,  
Ardeft nu hith quarters,  
Cuold te ib fenlay,  
E'm torring qua huim? _

"_Fenlay a chance,  
De ays, hy,  
E vue tau,  
Nona gian,  
De ib lal lon . . . _

"_Nad tau,  
Vise po aym lef,  
Tau geiv aim hue,  
De cray nu,  
Tau vise po aym solays,  
E fel aym lunaes,  
Weth song . . ._"

Coquina's beautiful voice rose and fell with crescendo. It pierced the murmur of conversation as the people around silenced, spellbound by the majesty of her song. Impa was intrigued yet not at all affected by whatever enchantment had nearly put the other guests to sleep.

"_Coase tau,  
Tau vise po aym lef,  
Tau geiv aim hue,  
De cray nu,  
Tau vise po aym solays,  
E fel aym lunaes,  
Weth song . . . _

"_Te acn't ib inne,  
Win te fils su corre,  
Coase tau,  
Tau vise,  
Po,  
Aym,  
Lef . . ._"

As Coquina's voice dropped to a whisper, the last of the song drifted away. As soon as the sound died, the guests shook their heads as if they had just awoken. Coquina opened her eyes and looked down at Zelda with a fond, motherly smile. She was fast asleep.

Impa gazed in speechless wonder at the lady. With a slightly smug look, Coquina gently gave the sleeping princess to her caretaker.

"Where did you hear that?" Impa was finally able to ask.

"What?" Coquina grinned mischievously.

"That, that—song you just sang."

"It's a lullaby my mother used to sing to me," Coquina replied. "You should learn one."

"Lullaby," Impa snorted. "That was an enchantment. Where did she learn it?"

Coquina shrugged.

"That melody . . ." Impa began. "I've heard it played here at the castle."

"My mother must have learned it from a castle servant or someone like that," Coquina said.

Impa shook her head. "Only the Silver Legacy has been allowed to learn that song." The pair was silent for a moment. "What did your mother do at the castle?"

"She was the late Queen's favorite lady-in-waiting."

"That would explain how she learned that melody," Impa said. "She must have heard the Queen singing the song to her sons."

"She must have seen how well it worked and wanted to try it out on me," Coquina commented with a laugh. "It obviously went pretty well since I learned it from listening to her."

Both were silent for a moment, absorbing this information, before Impa spoke again. "Do you know the translation of this song?" she asked. "It's sung in ancient Hylian."

"I know that," Coquina told her.

"Well, if I recall correctly, '_lunaes'_ are nights and '_solays'_ are days." Impa translated. "'_Vise'_ means light, '_lef'_ means life, '_tau'_ means you, and '_driams'_ means . . . dreams, I think."

"So . . ." Coquina puzzled over the possible meaning of the song. "It must have something to do with night and day . . . life and light . . . hmm . . . perhaps, could it be a battle between good and evil?"

Impa shook her head. "If it talks about life and dreams, it can't have anything to do with evil. But I suppose I'll find out when they teach it to me."

"Who?"

"Prince James or some other Royal Family member," Impa answered lightly.

"I can teach you now," Coquina offered. "King Clarence's illness will be occupying most of their time until he finally passes on and, from the looks of it, you will probably be needing to know this very soon."

"All right," Impa said. "Will you sing it for me?" However, before Coquina could answer, Impa realized what she had said. "Wait! Actually, I don't think you should sing."

"Why not?" Coquina raised an eyebrow. "Do I really have that bad a voice?"

"Oh, no," Impa assured her. "Last time, the guests almost fell asleep."

Coquina stifled a laugh. "All right. Then I'll just teach you the words. You seem to know the melody already anyway."

Coquina and Impa sat by the wall, away from the crowd, for quite some time as Coquina taught the new caretaker the words of the ancient melody. The golden Hylian sun fell to the ground outside the western windows lining the hall. The fading rays danced in the air for almost an hour, the richly colored pastels of the sunset taking away the breath of everyone who looked at it. Even Coquina and Impa stopped their lessons for a moment to watch the sun fall behind the ridge, its gleaming light disappearing from sight.

By the time the doors to the room were opened, Coquina had finished teaching Impa the lullaby and they sat talking idly. In the doorway stood a steward in a cerulean tunic lightly dusted with flour. "The Royal Family awaits you, honored guests. Please follow me to the Great Hall," he announced. "The banquet is served."

"Finally," Coquina said as she stood up. She straightened her aquamarine dress and followed Impa into the throng of people. From out of the corner of her eye, she saw Garret making his way to her.

"I've been looking for you," he said as he reached her. "Where were you?"

"I sat by the eastern wall to talk to Impa," Coquina replied. "I didn't want to bother anyone."

"You're no bother," Garret said as he kissed her forehead. They laughed quietly and followed the other guests to the Great Hall.

- Y -

"Are you ready?" a hushed voice asked. The darkness closed in all around them. They stood outside the ballroom, shivering as a harsh wind blew past on its way to the mountainous ridge behind the castle.

The voice had come from the man on the left. Though there was very little light, it was still evident whom he was—the ebony-haired younger prince, Phillip, dressed in a violet tunic, heavily embroidered in gold. The prince was quite tall, which forced the seamstresses to make the cut of his tunic somewhat long, to hide his size. It was impolite to be taller than the king, though Clarence really did not notice. Draped across the young prince's broad shoulders was a heavy, crimson cloak. His auburn eyes pieced the night as he looked at the wiry figure before him.

The second man was lean with a dark disposition and tallow skin stretched taunt over his sunken cheeks. His matted black hair hung low in his dark eyes. Slung across his back was a leather quiver full of arrows tipped with metal barbs. In his gloved hands, he held a longbow made of ash. The archer stared out across the darkening land of Hyrule with a resentful look on his face.

"Klof, are you listening?" The prince glared at the dark archer, who slowly turned around.

"What?"

"I asked if you were ready," Phillip repeated impatiently.

"Yes." Klof's gaze returned outward.

"You have arrows?"

"Yes."

"And you remember," Phillip growled in warning, "that if you shoot anyone but your targets, I'll have your head on a wall?"

"Yes," came the monotonous reply.

"Good." Phillip turned back to the castle and slunk inside. "Then watch carefully—it's almost time."

- Y -


	6. Chapter Five: Dark Plots and Cruel Inten...

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi" _— Chapter Five: Dark Plots and Cruel Intentions**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

The scraping of chairs resonated throughout the castle as the guests rose from their seats at the long table in the Great Hall. The banquet had long since ended, leaving the guests to talk idly between each other.

Coquina sat in her chair comfortably, not speaking to anyone, but reminiscing on the banquet. The lady had never seen such a glorious arrangement of food in her entire life. Everything had been prepared to perfection. Even the presentation of the food was enough to make one's mouth water and the taste was beyond anything she had ever encountered.

The golden platters had held delicacies such as poached scallops, loaves of rye, wheat, and barley bread. There had been baked apples and dried figs covering the now bare plates. The kitchen stewards had placed plates of seasoned fish fresh from the coasts of Labrynna, roasted boar and deer meat flecked with exotic spices, and of coarse, vast amounts and varieties of chicken before the astonished guests.

However, the most amazing part of the meal was the desserts, such as blueberry truffle lined with roasted wintergreen berries. There had been a blackberry current and bowls of sweet chestnuts Prince James proclaimed 'candied'. Someone had even taken the time to make a rice pudding, which Coquina loved.

When the meal finally ended and the dishes swept away, James stood and offered his arm to Princess Liana, which accepted graciously, and walked out of the Hall. Behind them, James's brother, Prince Phillip, rose and strode after. Then, two nursemaids on either side of King Clarence supported his arms and, between them, helped him to stand. As the members of the Silver Legacy exited the Hall, the guests began to follow suit.

As Coquina rose and turned to follow the others, Garret offered her his arm, upon which she lightly rested her hand in the proper fashion of the court.

"Where are we going?" Coquina whispered to Impa, who had been sitting next to her and now was walking beside her.

"The ballroom, of course,"Impa answered, "to dance."

"Oh," Coquina said in a joyful tone. She loved to dance, for it made her feel free. When she had been pregnant, however, she had not been able to attend banquets like these or dance with the Royal Family afterwards. "I haven't been dancing in the longest time."

"Because of your baby?" Impa inquired.

"I was too fat!" exclaimed Coquina.

The women laughed as they trailed the Royal Family to the ballroom, one of the most exquisite rooms in the castle. During the reign of King Tarabeath and Queen Lieu, King Clarence's parents, workers finally finished a grand ballroom, requested by Tarabeath's father, Lucius. The ballroom opened out onto a great balcony of white marble, which stood on the northeastern side of the castle and looked out over Chastrion.

Sleek limestone quarried from Holodrum made up the inner walls of the ballroom, which were as smooth as the James's golden armor. Constructed of at least a dozen white marble pillars was the balcony, the intricate Corinthian heads of the pillars supported the massive, complex arches on which the domed ceiling sat. Painted upon the ceiling were masterful designs of divinity and perfection.

The sight of the magnificent room took Coquina's breath away. She clung to Garret's arm in awe as they made their way into the ballroom and walked over to the pillars that lined the balcony. As the people began to chat with each other again, Coquina let go of Garret's arm and slowly wandered out onto the empty balcony. The lady leaned over handrail and looked out into the dark night. She was surprised to find the sky absolutely black, devoid of any stars. Not even the moon was visible.

That did not really bother her—she had seen moonless nights before. Coquina looked south out over the dark town of Hyrule just beyond the castle. Candles twinkled in the windows of the many homes that lay within its walls. The town of Hyrule reminded Coquina of Chastrion, the way the lights danced in the night. Garret's father and Master of the Knights of Hyrule before him, Sir Gransias had served at Chastrion, as had his father before him and his father before him.

Sighing heavily, Coquina turned back to the ballroom just in time to see the heavy drapes to her left flapping. She ventured over to them warily, but just as she was about to grab one of the folds to pull them aside . . .

"Coquina?" The voice sounded behind her. Coquina jumped around to see Garret watching her, with a strange look on his face. "What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Just looking at the sky," Coquina said hurriedly. She looked at the drapes one last time and shuddered.

Garret gave her a suspicious look but said no more on the subject. "Well, come inside." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Prince James is about to speak and he would like to meet you."

Coquina nodded and followed her beloved husband back into the glowing ballroom.

- Y -

Klof breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the footsteps recede back to the sounds of the rest of the guests. That had been a bit too close; that noblewoman might have seen him. Klof scolded himself for being so foolish.

He had peeked out of his hiding place. It could have been one of his targets, leaving the protective sight of the other nobles, which, though unlikely, was not impossible. However, Klof saw that it was just one of the guests. Nevertheless, there was something about her that he had not credited seeing.

This noble woman was radiant with beauty. Klof was smitten with merely the sight of her. Who would have thought a Hylian could possibly be so beautiful? As soon as he saw her, Klof had not been able to take his eyes off her.

When she turned around, however, Klof realized what danger he was in, goddesses forbid she see him. For as she turned, he heard a voice calling her name, and was still lost to her graces when he heard it, Coquina. What a fitting name for a woman who so resembled a goddess. Unfortunately for Klof, the man who had called her by name was obviously her husband.

That was too bad, for he had liked the look of her. However, that did not matter anymore when he heard his own voice calling out from within. If these Hylians saw him, it would be the end of Klof and his job. Without a second thought, the archer ducked behind the long curtains outside the pillars of the ballroom.

He heard the distinct echo of footsteps coming toward him; the Hylian woman had seen after all. But when her husband's voice called out, he heard her pause, then slowly make her way toward his voice. As their steps died away, Klof relaxed. So long had he wanted a woman of his own, but was he willing to risk everything for this one?

- Y -

When they approached the other guests, Garret held out his arm to which Coquina grasped politely. The knight led his lady through the crowd, which parted on either side of to allow them through and up to the princes, their father, and a somewhat nervous-looking princess.

As he reached them, Garret bowed to Royal in turn. Imitating his movements, Coquina curtsied to each member of the Silver Legacy. Prince James smiled at her, took her hand, and kissed it gently. "It is an honor to have you with us, my lady. I can see you are just as beautiful as Sir Garret says."

Flushing and not knowing what else to do, Coquina curtsied again. "Thank you, your majesty."

James nodded and made his way back to Liana, putting his arm around her. Coquina heard the prince whisper a few reassuring words to the distraught princess before Coquina felt someone else grab her hand. The younger prince, Phillip, held it up to his lips and kissed it as Coquina curtsied, waiting for him to drop her hand.

When he did not, she rose and her eyes met his. There was an angry evil glint in them, as if he were planning something. She felt a cold shudder run down her spine, for there was something not right about the youngest monarch. Realizing she had been staring, Coquina lightly tugged her hand from Phillip's grasp and turned away. The lady held her head in the air as she returned to Garret's side; she was determined to retain her pride, and angering one of the Royal Family would not have been a good way to go about it.

- Y -

Klof strained his ears to hear what was going on inside the ballroom, but the only sounds that reached him were the low hums of people talking. The archer sighed and slumped to the ground; he would have to move closer if he wanted to see and hear them. How else was he to know when to strike?

But then again, how did he know he would even get the chance? Hylians were devilishly tricky creatures, which used their devious ways to plague good people to their deaths. It was possible that they had tricked Klof into coming here so that they might kill him as they had countless other Terminans. Klof had suffered so much pain at their hands, one would think they would take pity, but no, not demons like these.

The dark archer could remember quite clearly the day they raided his home, a group of Hylian knights led by their master…what was his name again?…Sir Gransias, that was it. It had been an early summer's morning. Klof's village, located at the heart of the forest bordering Hyrule and Termina, was sparsely populated. His people feared the Hylians and not many were willing to live in such close vicinity to them.

It was all because of the stupid Hylian legends. His ancestors long ago had heard of a golden power that the Hylians possessed. Greedy as they were, the ancient Terminans had set out to steal this power, called the Triforce, for their own, but Hylian knights cut them down before they had a chance.

Word of what happened had spread through Termina like a wildfire. Everyone around the kingdom shunned the foolish thieves and resolved never to bow so low as stealing. Months later, an ambassador from Termina made his way with an armed escort to the castle of Hyrule, seeking to form an alliance with the Hylian King. Unfortunately, because they were Terminan, the guards at the castle gates slaughtered the party before they had a chance to explain. From then on, Terminans had lived in fear of the Hylians.

That fear had driven many Terminans to break the ancient oath not to steal. They tried desperately to gain control of the Hylians' Triforce, believing that it possessed some power great enough to stop the suffering in Termina. Liars and thieves soon overran the once prosperous country. Even Termina's king could not keep the people in order. While some loathed Hylians, others feared them. It was a time of darkness for Termina.

The years had passed uneventfully for Klof when he was young, living in a village deep in the Terminan side of the forests that bordered Lake Hylia. There was a Hylian village, called Tyrandora, on the western shores of the lake, and it was purely luck that the two communities lived in peace for so long.

Tyrandora was a bustling society not unlike Chastrion in the far north. Tyrandorian merchants depended on the lake for fishing and the forest for gathering rare roots and herbs to sell. Twenty Hylian knights served at the Tyrandora manor. At the time, Sir Gransias had been observing the happenings of the village to report to the Hylian King.

Tyrandora's location was often a cause for worry among the Hylians. Petty Terminan thieves found the village an ideal location to loot. In response, the Royal Family had a watch station set up as they received word of the large amount of robberies. The watch station, along with the wall that enclosed the village, protected Tyrandora from the Terminan thieves. Even the most determined could not enter anymore.

The watch station called for a larger amount of guards patrolling the grounds, so the population grew as the amount of knights increased. Then, late one summer's afternoon, when Klof was just a boy, the knights attacked his village. The boy had overheard the knights talking about being on some kind of 'routine check' of the area surrounding their station. Only from the events that proceeded was Klof able to determine that a 'routine check' was just another way to say 'mass genocide'.

The boy's village hadn't even gotten the chance to fight back; the knights seemed to appear out of thin air. In no time at all, they had slaughtered everyone in the village, save for Klof, who had been out gathering food, and managed to escape with only a few physical cuts and bruises. The worst of the wounds was not the physical pain he felt, but the great scar across Klof's heart that seemed like it would never stop bleeding.

He would make them pay, Klof had vowed. Somehow, he would go to their castle and take revenge upon the Hylians who had ruined his life.

Everything around him screamed for Klof to run into the unguarded ballroom and take his revenge. The Royal Family of Hyrule was just on the other side of this curtain; it would be so easy just to fling aside the drapes and pelt the Hylians with arrows.

However, another voice within tried desperately to get his attention, telling him to wait, to be true to his word to the prince. The idea was appalling to the archer; be true to a Hylian when they had done what they had to his home? What an outrageous idea! He scoffed at the voice but, try as he might, could not put it out of his mind.

Phillip had offered the archer anything he wanted in return for this one 'favor', to which Klof had given his word. Even if the word of a Hylian meant little more than dirt, the word of a Terminan should still be termed respectable, as it was to him.

Anything he wanted . . . Klof scratched his chin as he pondered the idea. He had come to Hyrule in hopes of avenging his family and perhaps helping Termina in the process. So, maybe he should ask for the golden Triforce. Phillip _had _said anything and the Triforce had to be _something _physical, that Klof could wield, and that would spread prosperity across his home. Perhaps the Triforce could save Termina from its own destruction. However, if Phillip refused to hand it over . . . Klof shook his head. He would come to that later.

Satisfied, the dark archer settled down to wait, for his time to strike was at hand.

- Y -

Back in the brightly lit ballroom, Prince James clapped his hands together, getting his guests' attention almost at once. The crowd turned to the prince, but he was not looking at them, and hadn't even clapped for their heed. The congregation looked where the prince was gazing.

In front of a large crimson overhang no one had noticed on the far wall, sat a group of minstrels carefully tuning their instruments. They stopped what they were doing and looked up at the many faces staring at them. The musicians smiled, turned to James, who nodded, and they raised their instruments in preparation to play.

"Honored guests." The people turned back to James. "I am deeply gratified by your presence here tonight. And now, we shall dance!"

With that, the minstrels in the corner began to play, and a waltz of all ages reverberated off the walls of the ballroom. Prince James held out his hand to Liana, who accepted it with respect, as he led her onto the smooth white marble floor and they began to dance.

James and Liana whirled around the ballroom in a swirl of color. Liana had changed from the dress she had worn at the christening to a beautiful cerulean ball gown, a jeweled bracelet around her wrist supporting its long, sweeping train off the ground. The ruffled hem lining of her dress shown white as crystals and the diamond tiara in her hair glittered as though it had been set with all the stars in the sky.

James, as well, had shucked his christening garments for something suitable to dance in, ac style unlike any Coquina had ever seen before. The elegant prince wore tall cream-colored leggings with elegant black boots. Hangings of all sorts adorned his loose-fitting shirt, but the mastery of the decorations was a beaten copper chest plate which shown with the carefully etched designs of the Silver Legacy, across which hung a rich violet sash.

The guests marveled as the prince and princess swirled around the ballroom, moving as though one person. Gradually, the other guest began to join and soon the dance floor was a rainbow of stylish tunics and elegant gowns. Garret, emerald eyes glittering, bowed graciously to Coquina who, in return, curtsied so deeply, her back knee touched the ground. Beaming, the knight took his lady's hand and led her onto the dance floor. Song after song they danced together, as Liana and James whirled by ever now and then.

Impa watched from her seat at the wall with no one to dance with and nothing to keep her occupied, as the infant Princess Zelda Gwaelin had been put to be hours before the banquet. The sounds of the music, the bright colors swirling around her, seemed to drive the young caretaker into an almost dreamy state. In fact, all this practically a dream to her. Only a few weeks ago, she had been arguing with the Sheikah in her village, trying to make them understand that it was a good thing to open their home to the Hylians. Relentless as the villagers were, no one had been able not to question their ideals after speaking with Impa.

- Y -


	7. Chapter Six: What Makes a Sheikah

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Six: What Makes a Sheikah**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

For some reason, the Sheikah seemed hesitant to allow Hylians into their village. Ever since they had sworn their loyalty to the Royal Family of Hyrule, they had always been true to their words. It was a well-known fact that the Sheikah were a noble race. They shared with the Hylians what little they had. However, the one thing they kept to themselves was their village, Kakariko.

Many believed that the Sheikah still practiced black magic at the foot of Death Mountain. Why else didn't they allow Hylians in their village? But that was just pathetic superstition talking for the Hylians. The Sheikah had long since done away with the ancient hexes and evils of their ancestors.

Yet something still led a Hylians to disbelieve that fact. It was because of people like Impa's father. Though he looked like a Hylian, it was evident he was more like his ancestors than that this was true. Tran had a Hylian's long, unruly brown hair—odd for a Sheikah, but not unheard of. It came from a drop of Hylian blood in their family's veins. Once long ago, one of the legendary Karol's great-grandfathers had captured a Hylian maiden with his fellows. Taken aback by her beauty, he kept her with him, safe from becoming a sacrifice to the dragon, Volvagia. The children they bore together resembled normal Sheikah, but Hylian blood had entered their line.

Over time the blood had weaned since no more had since entered their veins. However, it was that tiny amount of blood where, Karol then and her father now, had inherited apparent traits of a Hylian. Karol had inherited the Hylian's sincerity as well as their blue eyes and fair hair, but for some reason, the sincerity had skipped generation after generation until it appeared in Impa. What good could it do her when no one else had it? Even her Hylian-looking father retained the fierce nature of a pureblood Sheikah.

Though harsh as he seemed, he was not unloved in the village. When he was in his early twenties, Tran met and wed a beautiful Sheikah named Skyh. Only a year later, Skyh gave birth to a baby boy. He looked exactly as a Sheikah ought to. Tran was so overjoyed that he gave the child the name of one of the only pureblood Sheikah in Tran's line—Steophan. Two years after Steophan, Bradn, another black-haired Sheikah boy, was born. Tran and Skyh settled into a comfortable life with their two boys—a life many were envious of.

Then, four years after Bradn was born, Skyh was shocked to find that, once again, she was pregnant. Nine months later, she gave birth to a baby girl. She looked just like her brothers before her—red eyes and black hair.

Impa grew almost as rapidly as her brothers, though Steophan was almost six and a half years older than she. Unfortunately, the year after Impa's birth, the family received the shock of a lifetime. Skyh and Tran tried without fruit to have one more child so that there might be a chance of it inheriting Tran's apparent traits. However, seven months into the long-awaited pregnancy, Skyh suffered a drastic miscarriage. Unable to carry the child any longer, Skyh sent for a midwife to remove the dead child's body. Unfortunately, even the most skilled midwife in the village was not able to extract it without killing the mother.

Tran was so appalled that the woman had not been able to save his wife, that he flew into a rage and snatched the dead child from her. Splitting open its eyelids, Tran strained to see the color of the undeveloped iris, which was as blue as the deep ocean waters. Tran closed his eyes in sadness. It would not have mattered the color of the child's hair; it had had his eyes.

When he at last handed the child's body back to the midwife, she had examined the mother to determine that the death of both had been from sheer exhaustion. The midwife knew Skyh had given birth a year earlier and had not given her body enough time to heal. From that day forth, Tran subconsciously blamed Impa for the death of Skyh and the fourth child, which he called Isis. Trouble between his children became Impa's fault, even when it was not.

All this happened because there would be no child to be different. To feel the way he, Tran, had felt. To look the way he did. There was no child that would carry on his blood when he died. The Hylian strain was so weak in their line that Tran felt it would end with him. In this, he felt a rage like no other. Hatred to the wife who could not provide him with what he wanted most, a child that was truly his. From that day forth, Tran hardened his heart. If it were not for the previous child, Skyh would still be alive and could have born the fourth child without problem. Though it was only subconscious in Tran's mind, resentment was growing. Resentment for his third child, the girl, who, for the rest of her life, would never know her father's love.

Thus, Impa had what would be called an unsatisfactory childhood. Her overbearing father never agreed with her. She longed for her mother, though Impa hardly knew her as a person. Memories of Skyh's white smile or warm body were all Impa had left of her mother. Like all Sheikah, Impa possessed a photographic memory, allowing her to recall events almost as far back as her own birth.

Her life might not have been so bad, had she not inherited the Hylian empathy, which, though was a gift in her eyes, disgusted the other Sheikah. They thought of her as a misfit—a freak. Not that she cared the least; Impa always found the village children to be shallow. They did not care at all what happened outside their home. Perhaps that was why, in time, Impa began to grow lonely.

Tran saw her growing despair but, instead of being sympathetic to her, he scoffed her. How was she unable to make any friends with the village girls? In her eyes, who would want to be like them? Always concerned with themselves and never thinking of others. Just the thought of spending time with them was enough to make Impa shiver in the warmest weather. Yet Tran persisted in pushing her to befriend the other girls, until Impa learned to avoid him at all costs.

Steophan and Bradn found it hilarious how their little sister would duck into a cow paddy rather than answer their father's calls. By the time Impa was twelve and had been executing this plan for more than six years, eighteen-year-old Steophan thought it would be fun to nab the little girl and present her to Tran. The next day, when Tran wanted Impa to feed the chickens behind their ridge-side house, Steophan grabbed her arm and led her inside. When Impa received scolding and a chore, while Steophan got praise, she inwardly knew that it had begun.

Impa suffered through another two years of this torture before Steophan wed and moved out of the house. By then, Bradn was eighteen and Impa, fourteen and not interested in continuing Impa's torture. He was too busy with what he called 'woman scouting'—Impa called it 'searching for beautiful women to harass'. Therefore, Bradn was hardly ever home and it was not long before he too found a wife and moved out for good.

By this time, Tran was well informed to what his daughter was up to all day. He knew how she hid from him and he was furious. Rules and regulations were set for the girl. Her spirit broken, there was only one thing for the distraught Sheikah to do: write. Impa had always excelled at translating documents and transferring text, but she had never been able to put her own ideas on parchment. However, with Tran the way he was, it was suicide to ask to go outside. So, with a fountain of homemade ink and a large eagle quill, Impa set to chronicling her ideas.

Impa had always been amused with stories of life in the court. She wrote down now what she thought might be what it really was like to live in the Castle of Hyrule. With this, the tales of the Heroine began. The Heroine who set out to save the kingdom at all costs. She was an idol, one every person could trust. People looked up to the Heroine and her father cheered for her, rather than ridiculed her. The Heroine was who Impa wanted to be. However, with Tran the way he was . . . what was the point of trying? It was he who controlled her destiny, not Destiny herself. _Neither Destiny nor Fate care what happens to me,_ Impa often thought to herself. _The golden goddesses don't care. Not even the dark gods of my ancestors think anything of me, or they wouldn't allow this to happen!_

By Impa's twenty-first birthday, tensions between herself and Tran had grown to a point where they no longer spoke directly to each other. Tran simply stated to thin air that a chore needed to be done and Impa would do it. Being who she was and having spent all of her time secluded in her study, Impa had never wed nor moved out of her father's house. She obeyed what he ordered and stayed out of sight.

Then, one rainy day, as Impa stared longingly out her window, the gates to the village were roughly forced open to reveal a rearing horse and a rider, drenched through to his skin. As the beautiful bay galloped past her home, Impa wondered whether she ought to tell anyone—after all, the man was trespassing. She soon found there was no need as doors slammed and people poured out into the rain. She rushed down the stairs just in time to see her own door swing closed as Tran hurried out. Impa grabbed her cloak, swung it over her shoulders, and ran out into the rain.

The man and his horse stood amidst a swarm of angered Sheikah. The lathered bay heaved for breath, her entire body flecked with sweat. The man seemed in as bad shape as his mare. His arms weighted heavily against his knees as he gasped for air.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tran demanded of him.

"I . . ." the man panted. "I bring a . . . a message . . . from the Crown Prince of . . . Hyrule . . ." The crowd murmured in interest as the man took a deep breath and struggled to go on. "I am . . . looking for Tran . . . of the house of Karol . . ."

"That's me." Tran glared at the messenger. "What do you want?"

"I need to speak with you . . . as soon as possible . . ." the messenger replied. "Can we talk . . . somewhere else?"

Tran shook his head. "You're trespassing on our land," he told the man gruffly, "so I suggest you say what you need before I flay you alive for this."

"But," the messenger began with fear in his voice as he struggled to stand, "It is a really important message."

"Then quit your quavering and get on with it!" Tran began to loose his patience.

The Hylian nodded. "Her highness, the Princess Liana, has at last given birth to an heir. I was sent here to seek out Tran of the house of Karol to find an attendant for the new baby princess."

Tran raised an eyebrow. "What is your name, Hylian?"

"Alexander, sir." The Hylian messenger bowed.

Tran glared. "So, why are you supposed to find me?"

"I need to find a guardian and attendant for the new baby princess," Alexander explained. "Prince James's attendant, Settral, was of that house, was he not?"

"Settral was my father," Tran explained with disdain, "but he died about eight years ago. Besides which, Settral took care of the young princes because the queen died four years after giving birth the second time. For all I know, Princess Liana is still alive, is she not? Why doesn't she care for the child herself?"

Alexander shrugged. "I do not know, but she has personally requested an attendant for her baby. All of the caretakers to the Royal Family have come from the house of Karol. Therefore I have come to find one of them to take care of the princess."

Tran shook his head. "All of my children are grown and have responsibilities. None of them could possibly take on such a task and nor can I. Tell the princess she should take care of her own children—not have someone else do the job for her."

Impa was shocked to hear such words from her father's mouth. Who was he to talk about the Royal Family so? Moreover, not _all_ of his children had responsibilities—or had he forgotten her?

"But it has been tradition to have a caretaker for each child born to the Royal Family of Hyrule!" Alexander tried to make Tran listen. "Ever since the days of Karol, who started the custom!"

"That's a lie. It was only started because Karol was too kind hearted for his own good," Tran countered. "When that old king, what's his name, lost his wife and had no one to care for his child, Karol volunteered. When his charge grew up and had a child of his own, there was no Sheikah caretaker until that baby was six years old. The father died in a war and the queen wasn't able to run Hyrule and take care of the child, so Karol brought his daughter to take care of it."

"That's not what's written in _The Book of Mudora_," Alexander contradicted.

"Then your_Book_ is wrong," Tran retorted harshly. "There hasn't been a Sheikah caretaker in Hyrule for almost six generations before Settral. And I'll not have some lazy, good-for-nothing princess continuing that servitude."

Good-for-nothing princess?! How dare he speak of her like that? Enraged, Impa shoved past the bystanders until she reached Tran.

"Father . . ." She looked him straight in the eyes, pleased that her sudden appearance had startled him. "I will do it."

Tran overcame his shock quickly. "Don't talk foolishness, girl. Go home—this doesn't concern you."

"But I think it does." The crowd turned its eyes on Alexander, who was stroking his mare's blonde mane. "Tran, it appears there _is_ one more in you family who might be able to take this task."

Tran glared at him. "She's just a headstrong girl; she'd do more harm than she's worth. And no one in this family will serve the Royals. That is final!"

"Father!" Impa stared at him in disbelief. "I'm twenty-one—I'm not a stupid girl. I know what I'm doing. And I know that this is what I want to do."

"And I know what's best," Tran raged. "Go home now!"

Impa crossed her arms across her chest. "No. I know I can do this job and I will. Not you, nor anyone else here is going to stop me." She turned to Alexander. "How soon can we leave?"

"As soon as I—" His voice was cut short as Tran slammed his staff upside Alexander's head. The messenger's eyes rolled back inside his head as his slumped for fell to the ground with a dull thud. The crowd was silenced as Impa glared at her father. Their eyes were locked for a sheer second before she dropped her gaze and knelt at Alexander's side. She pressed to fingers to his neck, searching for a pulse, but there was nothing. The messenger from Hyrule was unquestionably dead.

"You killed him!" Impa exclaimed as she removed her hand.

"I had to," Tran replied as he turned away. "He was trespassing."

She could feel her eyes filled with tears but she glared at him nonetheless. "He was only following his orders!"

"Then his orders should have been different," Tran said spitefully. "They know the law and they should follow it."

"But it's a stupid law!" Impa screamed. "It doesn't help the relations between us at all!"

"What are you talking about, girl!?" Tran whirled around and took a step forward.

"The Hylians are suspicious," Impa explained. "They don't really trust us."

"Why shouldn't they?" Tran raged. "We've never done anything to mislead them."

"Think of it this way," Impa wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "What if the Hylians didn't allow us on their land? Wouldn't you begin to think they were plotting against you?"

Tran snorted but behind him, Impa could see thoughtful looks on the others' faces as they pondered the idea. "If we want them to trust us," Impa went on, "then we have to open the village to the Hylians."

Instantly, the thoughtful looks were replaced by ones of rage. "Are you mad?" Tran's eyes were wide and reflected the full moon's light. "Open Kakariko to the Hylians!?"

"But it would work! Father, you have to believe me!" Impa pleaded.

Tran shook his head. "It seems you've gotten too many ideas in your head from those books." Tran reached up and adjusted the loose white shirt he wore which was becoming wet with the rain. He straightened his leather vest and pulled his gloves tighter on his hands. Tran placed his hands on his hips and looked down at his dripping brown trousers. "I hate to do this, I really do."

Impa cocked her head. "What . . .?" she whispered, dreading the answer.

"If you want to think like a Hylian, speak like a Hylian, and act like a Hylian, then why don't you go live like a Hylian?" Tran growled.

Impa looked at him, her tensions growing. "What?"

"You're not welcome here anymore." He narrowed his eyes. "I want you to leave the village at sunrise . . . and never come back."

Speechless, Impa ran from the commons. When she reached the safety of her room, she flung herself on the bed, allowing the apprehension of what had happened to sink in. Regaining her senses, she flung open the doors of her wardrobe to pack her things.

From the drawers, she pulled her riding shirt, which she had sewn herself, as she had all her clothes. It was skin tight around her chest and stomach, with sleeves almost elbow length. The neckline was as black as midnight and came up to the middle of her neck. The shirt was decorated with the eye of the Sheikah, a mystical symbol that not many Hylians knew the tale of. Many centuries ago, an ancient sorcerer lived in the village. He protected the villagers from the dragon, Volvagia, who lived deep within the volcanic crater of Death Mountain, by teaching them to feed sacrifices to it and drink Hylian blood in honor. His eyes, which were naturally red, were said to be able to see the truth—not just know it. Thus, the Sheikah praised him.

After a while though, the Sheikah began to fear him. He lived longer than anyone else and no one knew why. The people's angst grew so great that plots began to form against him. Then, one dark night while the sorcerer slept, a group of men broke into his house and captured him. As the legend goes, they drug him outside and pierced his eyes, destroying his power. Yet, many generations later, the truth grew into a legend, making him a figure of all that was Sheikah.

His mystic eye, with a drop of blood falling from it, became the symbol of the Sheikah, and it embellished the center of her shirt with many flowing designs gracing the area around it. Past the waist, the shirt left its pervious form-fitting style and hung loose as a tunic would. Impa pulled the shirt over her head and reached into the drawer for a black belt that she wound around her waist. From within the drawer, she drew out a pair of dark leggings to match the shirt and pulled them on.

Impa flung things aside as she searched the wardrobe for her black leather boots. When she at last found them, Impa was delighted to see her black shoulder pad lying next to them. She pulled the boots on and strapped the pad to her right shoulder. Impa rushed to her desk and pulled open the drawers, looking for her brush. After minutes of fruitless searching, Impa gave up and drew her midnight blue hair up with a black ribbon. She looked over her desk and found her riding gloves, which she quickly pulled on. Impa turned to examine her reflection in the mirror, only to find that the ritual lines under her eyes had smeared in the rain. As she looked out the window, dismay filled her. The sky was lightening and there was no time to renew them.

From within the wardrobe, Impa pulled out a brown leather saddlebag. For the next hour, she flew about the room in haste to gather her things. She shoved her most courtly clothes into the bag and swept about looking for anything she might have missed. When she discovered nothing, Impa tied her cobalt cloak around her neck, flung the bag over her shoulder, and hurried into the glowing dawn.

She rushed onto the common. Just as she hoped, no one had thought to do anything with the Hylian messenger or his horse. Impa knelt by his side, searching him for anything that might be of use to her. The mud squelched behind her, frightening Impa to her feet. She whirled around to see her brother, Bradn, standing behind her.

"Bradn . . ." Impa shook her head, hardly believing what she was seeing.

Bradn chuckled and took a step forward. "Leaving, are you?"

"Hmph." Impa crossed her arms across her chest. "I'd assume you already know the answer to that."

Bradn tightened his grip on his staff. It was comprised of a tall, slender silver rod smoother than anything she had ever seen. Atop it sat a hollowed silver head in the shape of a diamond. The prism held within it a sparkling black gem which shown with an eerie glow.

"What is that?" Impa asked more of interest than of fear.

"This?" Bradn held out the staff for Impa to hold. "It's my staff. What does it look like?"

"Something I've never seen before," Impa answered in wide-eyed wonder as her hand stroked its silky contours. "It fairly reeks of magic."

"This was the great Karol's staff." Bradn raised an eyebrow. "That sort of thing interests you?"

Impa nodded eagerly. "It always has, if you didn't notice," she said pointedly. Bradn shifted uncomfortably.

"Have it then."

Impa dropped the staff in astonishment. Did he just tell her she could have the staff? She shook her head. Bradn had never given her anything without wanting something in return.

"Well . . ." He shrugged, reading her thoughts. "I don't this time." _(I've changed, sister.)_

Now he actually wanted to speak psychically to her. Sometimes it was true that words were often taken wrong when spoken and not always able to portray the feeling behind the sentence. _(How?)_ She asked. _(I've never known you to be hospitable.)_

_(Let's just say someone special has opened my mind to the world.)_

"Your wife?" Impa asked. She did not even need to ask the question before she knew she was right. "Why did you come out here?"

"I wanted to say good-bye," Bradn took another step forward. _(And to tell you that I think you're right.)_

Impa staggered back a few paces before she regained herself. Bradn telling her she was right? Was there something wrong with him? Was his mind messed up? The Bradn she remembered would never apologize to her for anything.

_(Like I said before, I've changed.)_

Impa smiled; it was so like him to read her mind without permission. Before she knew it, she had thrown her arms around him. Bradn stiffened for a moment in surprise but soon relaxed as he realized he had regained his young sister's trust. "Someday others will see what we see."

Impa let go of him and took a step back. "How can you be so sure? Has Steophan changed too?"

Bradn shook his head in regret. _(If he had changed, the entire village would have changed before him. Steophan is the most stubborn person I know, other than you, sister.)_

Impa stifled a laugh. "And Father. Steophan may have a chance to see what we see, but Father will never change."

Bradn nodded stiffly. "But you need to have faith that things will change around here, with or without him."

"You can't be serious." Impa gave him a questioning look. "They've been the same for hundreds of years. How can you think they'll change now?"

"What we saw and what you said hasn't gone unnoticed, you know," Bradn told her. _(Already my family thinks it would be a good idea to open our village to the Hylians.)_

_(Really?) _Impa was astounded.

"And with time, others too will understand." Bradn smiled. "You'll see."

"How can I when I must leave here by dawn?" Impa looked at him pleadingly.

Bradn's smile widened. "Trust me, you'll know. I'll make sure of that."

He stepped up to her and enveloped her in a hug once more. "But, I'm afraid it's time for you to leave."

Impa looked over his shoulder to see the sun had risen above the mountains behind the village. Day was nearly upon them.

Impa let her arms fall from her brother's neck and turned to the Hylian messenger's horse, which was grazing several feet away. She threw her saddlebag over its back and prepared the mare to ride. As she pushed herself into the saddle, she saw Bradn coming toward her. The horse whinnied as he reached them. _(Here. You'll need this letter.)_

Bradn held out a piece of paper. Impa took it and held it to the light. "What is it?"

_(A letter from the crown prince specifying that the person who holds it is under his orders to report to the Castle of Hyrule as the newborn princess's attendant. Whomsoever finds the Sheikah is to escort him to the castle where he is to be brought to the crown prince's chambers immediately.)_

"Quite a mouthful for one measly note." Impa snorted. "Notice how it said 'escort _him_ to the castle where _he_ is to be brought before the prince'?"

Brand chuckled. _(Royals have never been known allow for the possibility of a woman to be chosen. Nor are Hylians like that and to have a mixture of the two is just outlandishly stupid.)_

"That's for sure," Impa agreed as she spurred her mount in the direction of the gates. As she nudged its stomach with her boots, Bradn's last goodbye wafted through her mind. _(Farewell, dear sister.)_

_(Goodbye,)_ She called back to him, not knowing whether he heard or not.

- Y -

Prince James held the note to his face, examining it carefully. Impa had ridden down the mountain trail all day only to meet up with the prince himself and his company awaiting the messenger at the river. Impa had explained twice what had happened to the messenger and that she was here to answer the letter.

"It looks like my handwriting, but how am I to be sure you didn't steal it from Alexander and try to pose as a child of the house of Karol?" The prince shot her an angry look. "They are an honorable family and not one to be made fool of, you know."

Impa crossed her hands over her chest and glared at the prince, which he found astounding. No one glared at the Crown Prince of Hyrule. Not without his permission. "Exactly the reason I am not lying to you, your highness."

"Hmph." The prince snorted. "I don't believe you."

"You doubt my word?" A startled look crossed her face before Impa regained control of herself.

"Should I?" the prince asked.

"Is it because I give my word as a member of the house of Karol?" Impa narrowed her eyes. "Or as one of the Sheikah?"

"Both have honorable mention," the prince declared, "but you have no solid proof that you belong to either of them."

"No solid proof!?" Impa was outraged by the statement. "Look at my eyes!"

She spurred her horse and rode up right next to him. "Save for my father, Tran, what Sheikah doesn't have eyes this red?"

Prince James straightened his pose and stared at her eyes, which glittered like rubies in the midday sun. "Very good point," he said as he sat back, "but how can you prove your connection to the house of Karol?"

Impa leaned off the far side of her saddle and untied the straps holding Bradn's staff. She straightened up and held it before the prince. "Here." She held out her hand and he grasped the staff, holding it to the sun.

"This is . . ." The prince gasped. "This is . . ."

"--Karol's staff," Impa finished, smirking. "My brother gave it to me and Tran gave it to him. It's been passed down in my family for hundreds of years."

"And it's how we recognize the members of the house of Karol." The prince handed the staff back to her. "If you can tell me your brother's name, I'll believe every word you've said."

Impa grinned. "The elder is Steophan, but the younger, and the one who gave me the staff is Bradn."

"Can I have your name, my lady?" the prince asked politely.

"No." Impa turned her horse around and spurred it towards the outer walls of the town surrounding Hyrule Castle. Startled, the prince rode up next to her. "Why ever not?" he asked.

"You don't need to know," she replied simply as the party crossed the river bridge.

"Yes I do," the prince argued. "How else will I address you?"

"You don't need to," Impa explained. "I'll know when you want to speak to me."

Utterly confused and not willing to argue any further, Prince James shut his mouth and nudged his horse to the front of the company. Impa laughed aloud as she watched the company members take their places behind the prince. _Sort of like performing animals._ Impa thought to herself as she trailed after. _I think this will be quite an experience._

- Y -


	8. Chapter Seven: The Silver Legacy

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Seven: The Silver Legacy**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

_'Experience' is putting it lightly, _Impa thought to herself as she watched the dancers swirl to a halt with the conclusion of the song and applaud the minstrels. Barely a moment later, as the dancers traded partners, the musicians began a light minuet.

On the other side of the ballroom, Phillip sat in deep conversation with the younger of the King's nursemaids. The poor girl was obviously stricken with him, for she constantly smoothed the ruffles in her powder blue linen dress and fluffed her blonde ringlets; the maiden's looks fair as a commoner's could be expected. Seething her interest, but knowing he had to get the King alone somehow, Phillip used her adoration to his advantage and feigning interest in her.

The second maid, a round woman with black hair in her mid forties, heaved to her feet at a lull in the conversation. "I'm going to bed," she announced to the younger maid, who was not listening at all. "Can you take care of things without me?"

The younger giggled at something Phillip had said and the elder put her hands on her hips. "Mindi!" she shouted in the young girl's ear.

Mindi jumped and turned around. "Yes, ma'am?"

"I'm going to bed," the portly nurse repeated impatiently. "Can you handle things without me?"

Mindi nodded, only half listening to the woman who stood over her like a lion over its prey. Realizing that was as much response as she could hope to get from the young maid, the elder shook her head and left.

In the corner, the mistrals finished their song to which the dancers cheered with relish. Then, the leader picked up his instrument and played the first bars of a lively gavotte. The others joined in and soon everyone was dancing again. This was his chance, Phillip saw, give Klof a clear shot of one of his targets—Phillip had to ask Mindi to dance.

The charming youngest prince held out his hand to her. "Miss Mindi," the words sounded like rot even before they left his mouth, "might I have the honor of this dance?"

The maid giggled and bobbed a lopsided curtsy. "Of coarse, you highness." Sighing, Phillip took her outstretched hand, careful not to flinch on contact with a commoner, and led her onto the dance floor.

Across the room, Coquina and Garret spun around the ballroom in perfect fluid motion. Coquina was thoroughly enjoying herself, but Garret seemed slightly removed, as if he was there in body, but not mind. The Master of the Knights of Hyrule had a serious look on his face; he could not seem to keep his eyes off the curtains lining the balcony.

"Garret?" Coquina asked as they halted near one of the pillars. "Is something wrong?"

Garret shook his head, looking terribly confused. "I don't know. I have a bad feeling . . . as if something horrible is about to happen."

Coquina knew better than to disbelieve her husband. She had noticed on more than one occasion that his unusual ken seemed to be slightly precognitive to this sort of thing, and he was usually right. "Like what?" She narrowed her eyes, almost feeling his anxiety.

"I don't know . . ." He strained to describe what he felt, knitting together his brows in concentration, "Loathing . . . and secrecy . . ." The knight shook his head. "I'm probably just imagining things."

As the song ended and they both clapped with the guests, Coquina couldn't help but wonder if what he was feeling had anything to do with the movement behind the drapes.

Coquina slumped against the pillar and let herself slide into one of the many plush chairs set up around the ballroom. It was hopeless to try to sort out her thoughts, since they had been sedated somewhat by the blush wine that had been served at the banquet. When Garret saw her, he knelt down with a worried look on his face. "Coquina?" he asked. "Are you all right?"

Coquina looked up and nodded. "I'm just a little tired, that's all."She tried to smile. A new song had started, the music driving the unrest out of her mind. Garret, however, could not seem to shake the feeling that they were waiting the brink of something big.

The couple was so immersed in their own thoughts, they hardly noticed Impa coming until she was right in front of them. "Sir Garret?" she asked loudly, announcing her presence. Garret jumped to his feet before he realized whom it was.

"Oh, it's just you," he said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Yes, just me," the caretaker mocked but her tone turned grave. "Is something wrong?"

Coquina looked up. "What makes you think that?"

"Why else would such a lovely couple be sitting off the dance floor with such dour looks on their faces?" she answered promptly.

"I'm tired," Coquina complained, "and I needed to rest. You can dance now, if you want."

"Yes," Garret agreed and held out his arm. "Would you like to dance, Lady?"

Before she could protest, the knight swept her in his arms and spun her into the crowd. Once she got over the shock, Impa realized that dancing was not all that bad. Complicated, but not bad at all—certainly something one could get used too.

- Y -

Klof dropped silently onto his stomach and laid his head on the ground. With one gloved hand, he lifted the heavy crimson curtains an inch or so off the ground. Klof peered under them and looked around the crowded ballroom, searching for his targets, praying for an open shot.

Then, Klof spotted one off to the left, the other to the right, dancing with the princess, both surrounded by guests. How would the archer ever get a clean shot? Klof grimaced. Phillip was supposed to make sure things like this did not happen. _And where is he now? Flirting with some common maiden._

Klof snorted; the archer would never get his job cone at this rate. _Unless . . . _Klof watched Phillip sharply and saw the prince hold out his hand to the maid. What did the daft Hylian think he was doing? The dark archer's eyes narrowed as a new song started up and Phillip began to dance.

The young prince and the maiden moved in a tight circle, staying close to the King. As they danced, people moved away to give them room. Klof gaped at Phillip. _The princeling's as true as his word. _He had opened one of Klof's targets into the archer's field of view.

The archer shook his head to focus his thoughts and pulled the bow off his back. He pushed himself up and reached back for an arrow. _It's almost time._

- Y -

Phillip spun the maid, Mindi, in an elegant turn and took a quick look at his surroundings. The guests were beginning to move away from his father, King Clarence's, chair, which meant Klof would be getting ready to strike. The prince's first instincts were the right ones; he knew he should better get out of the way. Phillip pulled the nurse back into his arms and led her en gavotte toward the rest of the dancers.

- Y -

Klof was on his knees now, arrow notched in his bow, peering through an opening between the drapes. The King was unguarded, but the Hylian Crown Prince, James, was nowhere to be seen. _I can't afford to wait any longer—it's now or never._

Swiftly, Klof leapt from behind the drapes and drew his bow, oblivious to the screams from the guest at his sudden appearance. Taking all advantage of his deft skill, Klof tuned the voices out and focused his entire being on this one shot. Time slowed an impossible amount as the archer, soon to be assassin, took precise aim and loosed his arrow. It flew between the terrified Hylians and struck its mark true, into the chest of the frail King Clarence.

- Y -

On the opposite side of the ballroom, the eruption of screaming drew James's attention from his beautiful wife to the source of the fear. There, near the balcony, a man shroud is mystery stood, lowering and empty bow and facing . . . _Father!_

At the same instant, the cries stopped Impa in mid-spin. Garret whirled around, Coquina and Impa following his gaze. No more than twenty paces to their left stood a wiry, dark archer.

From the center of the room, Phillip left the common maid and hurried to his father's side. The bloody arrow protruding from Clarence's heart stood like a monument before the gathered crowd. The youngest prince tried desperately to look in deep sadness, but the only tears that fell from his eyes were of triumph.

Phillip looked up and, across the room, his eyes met James's. The two brothers stared into each other's souls for what seemed like an eternity, each divulging from the innermost sanctums of the other's mind, complete understanding. In that instant, both knew what the youngest prince had done, and Phillip realized the only way for him to win was for James to die.

The prince turned to face Klof, who still stood where he had leapt out of the shadows, trying to meet the assassin's gaze, to remind him of the other target. However, Phillip soon saw that Klof was one step ahead of him as the archer reached back and grabbed another arrow. The entire room was chaos as the assassin drew his bow and took aim.

- Y -

Klof's irate black eyes scanned the Hylian faces before him, searching for the Crown Prince, the one being standing between Klof and a promise for the Triforce. Then, out of the corner of his eye, the assassin spotted James. In one sinuous motion, he notched an arrow, drew back the string, took aim, and let fly the missile that would surely decide the fate of thousands of lives.

Liana's scream rang out far louder than those preceding it, and Klof knew without looking that his aim had been true.

The assassin was poised on the balls of his feet, ready to run, yet with nowhere to go. The frightened guests scrambled in a mad rush out onto the balcony to get away from him and, in the process, had cut off his only means of escape.

_No! _The thought sliced through the assassin's mind. _I have to escape! I have to avenge my family! I have to save Termina! _For the first time in many years, the archer's eyes reflected the pure fear in his heart. _There has to be another way_, he told himself as his eyes darted across the immense ballroom, searching for another way out, _there just has to be!_ _I cannot fail! _

Then his eyes met Garret's.

The terrified assassin reeled back in surprise as he recognized the face of the leader of the Hylian massacre party that had slaughtered the people in Klof's village. Klof's eyes narrowed with pure hatred as they burned into Garret's soul. Upon better inspection though, the knight before Klof seemed more to be a younger version of that man he hated—a son perhaps, but still from the same murdering family. It was then that the archer realized there was only one way to avenge his dead family, by killing this knight, not the king, the crown prince, or even the entire Silver Legacy.

Behind the knight stood the noblewoman Klof had been watching out on the balcony, the lovely Coquina. She rushed to the knight and clung to him in fear. _So this man's her husband as well as a murderer. _Inwardly, Klof almost grinned; if he picked off this trouble-making as well, the assassin would be doing the ambitious little princeling a favor. Then, surely, the Hylian prince would have to surrender to Klof the Triforce.

Without a second thought, nor doubt in his mind, Klof reached for his arrows and notched one on his bow. He took aim at Phillip, knowing the prince must be thinking Klof was a traitor, which was exactly what the archer wanted him to think. Ignoring the prince's reaction, Klof raised the bow and sighted along the arrow, Phillip's eyes widening as he froze. But, at the last moment, Klof spun around and loosed the arrow into a different target. Before he knew what was happening, Garret dropped to the ground but jumped up when he heard Coquina let out a scream of pain.

- Y -

The Lady of Chastrion watched the assassin suspiciously as he looked from her to Garret and back again. Then, he turned and aimed his bow at Prince Phillip. The dark archer stood perfectly still for a moment, as if he were waiting for something.

The instant he began to turn on her, Coquina realized what he intended to do. Without a second thought, she shoved Garret to the side, the same moment the archer whirled around to her. Garret hit the ground, wondering for a split second what had possessed Coquina to go to such. But when he heard her scream and saw her fall next to him, all rational thought was driven from his mind and only one thing remained clear: his wife was dead. The knight was filled with a murderous need for vengeance, something he had never experienced in his life and there was only one thing that could relieve it.

A split second before it was too late, Klof realized he had made a fatal mistake. The assassin's eyes widened as he fell hard to the marble floor, shoved over roughly by the knight he had meant to kill. Fortunately for Klof, the surprise soon wore off the instant he felt a large fist connect with his jaw. Instinctively, the dark archer kicked his legs out and felt them land square in his attacker's chest.

Garret rolled over, the wind knocked from his lungs, but was soon on his feet again, watching the archer as he spat out several drops of blood. Klof turned his dark eyes to Garret, filled with pure loathing. He surged to his feet and lunged, catching Garret square in the stomach.

Then, stealthily as he could, the Terminan assassin reached down to his belt and drew a sharp dagger. However, as he was about to use it, Klof felt a sharp pang in his chest. The archer staggered back and looked down to see a jeweled dagger protruding from his stomach, blood oozing over its polished gems. _Gods . . . no! I can't . . . die!_

Klof dropped to the ground and laid on his back, gasping for air, the dagger having punctured his lungs. _There must . . . be another way! I cannot . . . die! I must . . . avenge my family . . . ! _The assassin tried to breath, but the pain only became worse. He was choking on his own blood, his vision blurring, yet could still see the knight he had tried to kill standing over him, breathing heavily.

"You think you've won?" Klof wheezed, but Garret did not answer. "Well, think again."

The dark archer took hold of the blade of his dagger and, summoning the last of his strength, flung it at Garret. The Master of the Knights quickly sidestepped and held out his hand, catching the dagger's blade delicately as it flew through the air to the spot he had just been.

Garret could feel the blade cutting into his skin, but neither protested nor loosened his grip. Dagger in grasp, Garret knelt down beside the assassin and flipped the dagger, catching its hilt with ease. Garret held the point of the blade at Klof's neck.

"If you want to live," he threatened, "you'd better give me some answers."

Klof said nothing, simply glared at Garret. _And why, knight . . . ? So you can . . . wreak more havoc on . . . Termina's fair . . . soil . . . ?_

"Who are you?" Garret growled menacingly. The dark archer remained silent.

"I hope you realize I won't hesitate to kill you,"

_That's . . . no less . . . than I . . . expected . . . knight . . . _

Garret pressed the point of the dagger to Klof's neck. "Who are you!?"

Klof opened his mouth but instead of words, the assassin spat in Garret's face. "I'll . . . never tell . . . you anything . . . Hylian scum . . ."

"Then I'll kill you!" The blood in the knight's veins boiled.

"Go ahead . . ." Klof rasped. _I knew . . . you would . . . I knew . . . it runs in your . . . veins . . . the blood of . . . murderers . . ._ "I knew . . . you would fall . . . so low . . ."

Filled with rage, Garret did the first thing that came to mind; he slit the Terminan assassin's throat with the crude dagger. As the warm blood began to pool around him, Garret realized what he had done, had succumbed to his hate. He had betrayed his oath, the knight's oath, the one that kept him pure and kind. Now his hands were stained with innocent blood, like his father's. Goddesses, history was doomed to repeat itself. From the weight upon his soul, the Master of the Knights of Hyrule dropped the guilty blade, covered his face with his hands, and wept.

- Y -


	9. Chapter Eight: And So It Has Begun

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Eight: And So It Has Begun**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

_One year, six months later . . . _

- Y -

Coquina pressed her hands against the foggy glass window in the study at Chastrion. She blew out a circle in the glass, cupped her hands around her face, and peered into the misty dawn. Chastrion Manor lay almost twenty minutes ride to the north of Hyrule Castle. On as sunny day, Coquina could walk along the allure, the wall walk, of the wall surrounding her home and see the shining towers of the castle in the distance.

The lady shook her head sadly as she made her way back to her chair by the fire. It had been over a year since the assassination of King Clarence and the attempt on Crown Prince James. It was pure luck that the prince had not been killed.

A letter from Impa, the day after the ball, explained to Coquina what had happened. The arrow had struck James in the heart and he would have bled to death had not the goddesses intervened. For it must have been Their divine influence that caused a powerful healer with silky, blonde hair, to appear at the at the castle gates, just moments after James was struck.

"I am here to heal the crown prince, James of Hyrule," the healer told the guards when they asked her business. "He has been struck down by an assassin and lies dying on the floor of a magnificent ballroom."

However, the guards did not credit what she said to be true. The assassination attempt had been so recent; the news had not even spread through the castle.

The moment later, however, while the healer stood in front of them, the guards received word of the happenings in the ballroom. With that, they knew what the woman said was the truth, let her enter, and led her to the ballroom.

There, Liana was frantic, screaming madly at someone to help. The healer calmly walked over the princess and placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "How can you be so calm!?" Liana had screamed. "He's dying! Goddesses, James is dying!"

The healer was undaunted by her anger. "Patience, young princess, is a virtue not easily possessed. But in this time, it would be wise for you to exhibit it."

"No!" wailed Liana. "No! No! No! If we wait, he'll die! Help him!"

"In due time." The healer knelt by James's still form. "Miracles can only be worked with time," the mysterious woman claiming to be a healer wrapped her elegant, tapered fingers around the thin arrow shaft. Without so much as a hesitative thought, she swiftly pulled the shaft from where it lay imbedded in his heart, at the same moment, placed her other hand over the wound.

Liana had expected it to spurt blood everywhere the instant the healer removed the arrow, but to her surprise, the wound frosted over with a thin sheet of diamond-like ice. The princess held her breath as the healer whispered a few words in an ancient tongue.

For several minutes, no one moved. To Liana, the healer didn't even appear to be breathing. Then, the ice cracked and shattered, leaving James perfectly healed, as if he had never been hit with the arrow.

The feat amazed Liana, for she had noticed by then that the mysterious healer was blind. "We are forever in your debt . . ." Her voice trailed off, unsure how to address the healer.

"Ah, Liana of Hyrule." The blind woman smiled. "I can see you do not remember me from our pervious meeting. I am Havieze of Hylia."

Havieze of Hylia . . . the name sounded familiar. Liana could remember being visited by a blind prophetess of the same name the day she had given birth to Zelda, but the prophetess Havieze had had long chocolate brown hair.

"Through the world of visions am I able to see the world of men." The words struck familiar chord with Liana and she met the blind healer's eyes. There was something about this Havieze of Hylia that seemed almost . . . divine.

Liana led the woman to where they had lain out King Clarence's body. Havieze placed two fingers on the old king's temples, and told Liana there was nothing she could do to save him, for he had died the instant the arrow struck.

It was a shame, Coquina supposed, as she pulled herself out of her reverie. Old and frail as he was, Clarence had reigned strongly for almost fifty years. But after so long, he tended to forget things, like naming which son would be his successor though, with his increasing illness, the king probably wouldn't have even been able to talk in a few months. In Hyrule, a king could choose whether one of his children would make a better ruler than the others. The next heir to the throne did not even have to be male, as was the case sometimes. Hylians neither believed in primogeniture nor male supremacy.

Coquina clenched her fists as she began to pace back and forth restlessly. Now, because of that night, the entire kingdom of Hyrule was suffering from oppression and war. It made the lady feel guilty at times when she thought of how fortune had been with her that night, yet now there as so much pain. The arrow that had been meant for Garret, struck her directly in the shoulder. In his rage, Garret had killed the Terminan assassin before the knight knew what he was doing.

The day after, the Hylian council was in total chaos. The king may have been dead, but there was no time for mourning, what with an assassination to investigate and a new ruler to appoint. The problem was, it seemed, that both princes claimed right to the throne. Clarence had not named a successor before he died and when such happened, which was not often, then the eldest prince was to ascend the throne.

Yet, there were some members of the council that claimed Clarence _had _named a successor, Phillip. _Probably in the pay of the younger prince, _Coquina thought spitefully to herself. For, not only did the majority of council members not believe this, but also they suspected _Phillip_ of plotting the assassination. However, since the assassin dead and the prince claimed innocence, there was no way to find proof.

Coquina sat down and picked up the stitching lying on the chair. She had been trying in the best sense to fashion Link an infant's tunic but, having hardly ever sewn before, it was not turning out as she had envisioned. But then, neither was Phillip's plan; he'd expected a bit of reluctance, but not so much as this.

After several weeks of arguing in the Hylian council, Phillip surrendered his plan to get the throne peacefully. The youngest prince rallied an army and attacked the town of Tyrandora near Lake Hylia, threatening that many more would meet the same fate unless he was given right to the crown. However, rather than give up his born heritage, James assembled his own force and retaliated, meeting Phillip's troops out on the field. The battle raged for almost three days before James called a retreat. Nearly half of the crown prince's troops had been lost that time except, fortunately for Coquina, Garret, who had been granted a leave of absence to heal his lady's wounds as well as his own.

From then on, Hyrule was divided in civil war between those who supported Phillip, who were beginning to call him the _true_ King of Hyrule, and those who supported James, the _rightful_ King of Hyrule. Hyrule had been free of civil war for almost a century and now this. Sometimes Coquina wondered they would have felt better, had it been a war between countries. _At least I could feel a little less guilty destroying innocent Terminans, than I do about killing innocent Hylians. _Coquina thought bitterly to herself.

Wails from the cradle near the fire brought the lady out of her reminiscing and back to reality. Coquina sighed as she bent over and drew Link out of the bed. Supposing that it must be time to feed him, Coquina opened the door and made her way down to the kitchens.

A week after the battle in the field, Phillip's army struck again, setting fire to a town off the shores of the river of the Zora. The aquatic race that, feigning superiority to the Hylians, refused to fight in the war. This time, however, James's forces were ready and, Garret fought with them. It was not until a full week later that Coquina finally received word; the battle had been a victory for James and both Garret and Talmar, who had joined the regiment with his brother, had survived.

It had been like this for so long now; Coquina was starting to forget the peaceful times before war, when she did not wait by the fireside for news of whether or not she had been rendered a widow. The two rival princes battled across the land for rule of the country and in the whole time, Coquina received only brief letters telling her what was happening on the front. Garret had not set foot in Chastrion for the longest time, so she felt, and sometimes it felt as though he never would.

Several hours later, after Coquina and Link had eaten and returned to her study, the lady sighed, dropping her stitching in a basket beside her chair. It was a lost cause, making this tunic. Might as well give the idea to the head seamstress and have her do it. As Coquina surged to her feet to go find the woman, there was a loud knock on her door.

"Come in," she called. The door was shoved open noiselessly as an armored soldier stepped inside. "What is it?" Coquina's heart stopped.

The soldier, sensing her distress immediately reassured her, "My lady, nothing is amiss."

Coquina could not help but breath a sigh of relief. "Do you bring news of the front then?"

The soldier nodded. "Good news, to be precise. It seems we've pushed their forces farther back toward the Labrynnian border."

"Near the Zora River?" Coquina asked.

The soldier shook his head. "Farther south. Closer to the Kokiri Forest."

"What would you say," Coquina sat down in the chair and stared into the fire, "Is the size of Phillip's army?"

"Much smaller than it was a week ago, I'll tell you that." The soldier beamed proudly.

The flames flickered in her eyes, her pale face expressionless. "There was another battle?"

"Near the edge of the forest. At that time, I'd say he had at least one thousand men. Now I think he's down to less than two hundred."

Coquina's eyes never met his face. They simply stared into the fire, as if it held some secret that would bring an end to the Great War. "What happened to the rest? Did you really kill them all?"

"Not even half, I think," the soldier told her, running a hand through his tangled brown hair. "I think the rest ran off, seeing as how we were beating the life out of their front lines."

"You killed half of the men who disappeared?" Coquina asked again, somewhat confused. Even the simplest aspects of military strategy made her head spin.

The soldier shook his head. "No, we killed half of the men no longer in Phillip's army. That is only out of the dead and the missing."

"There were eight hundred less men at the end of the battle than there were at the beginning?" Coquina narrowed her eyes, trying to compute the numbers in her mind.

_Half of eight hundred men is eight hundred divided by two, which is . . . ? But, half of eight is four. _Coquina rubbed the back of her neck. _Four and four, I know, are eight. Therefore, half of eight hundred must be . . . four hundred._

"My lady?" asked a timid voice behind her.

"So," she looked at him, eyes reflecting the fires both in her hearth and in her heart. "There are four hundred enemy bodies that you cannot seem to find?"

Firelight flickered across the young man's tallow skin, the jagged edges of his bones jutting out all over his body, and Coquina was again reminded of what war did. The poor young soldier stood before her to give her the only news he knew, when he clearly had no idea what was happening.

"Yes." A soldier only eighteen years or so of age, stood before Coquina. "I believe you are right, my lady."

"Thank you for the news." Coquina averted her eyes. "But I have one more question for you."

"Anything, my lady." The youth bowed graciously.

"Do you the whereabouts of Sir Garret and Sir Talmar of Chastrion?" Coquina turned back to him with a look of desperation on her face, so powerful it was, that the young soldier could not resist to tell her.

"Master Sir Garret and his brother, Sir Talmar, are stationed with the driving front at the forest border," he replied sadly as he noticed her expression drop.

"Thank you." Coquina struggled a smile that, the young soldier returned warmly, but her heart was icy with concern.

- Y -

The gentle notes of the ancient melody drifted away into oblivion as the baby princess dropped off into sleep. Her Sheikah caretaker smiled and tucked the blankets across the sleeping child in silence. As she made her way to the window to close the drapes, Impa stared out into the sunset. It was as perfect as it had been the day of Zelda's christening, oblivious to the situation at hand. The great Hyrule Field held not traces of that first battle.

Then, a sudden flash of light caught her sweeping gaze. Impa rubbed her eyes and peered out over the land. There was something moving on one of the hills near the outer walls protecting the town of Hyrule and the castle. Could it be Phillip and his army, come to surprise the castle's poor defenses?

Impa shook her head and turned away from the window; she was just being worrisome. There had been a message from the front only a day ago, stating that all was well and James's forces were pushing Phillip back toward the Kokiri Forest. No army could have risen and traveled all the way in such short of time. Even Hyrule's fastest messengers at least two days to make that trip.

_Still . . . _Impa strapped a long, thin sword with an elegant ivory handle set with a sapphire at the end of the hilt to her back and hurried toward the door. _I never did really trust Hylian word . . . _And in her experience, it was better to be safe and sure now, than sorry when the dragon burnt up your home.

As she sprinted through the quiet castle halls, the Sheikah tried to remember what the messenger said the other day. _Something about there were four hundred missing soldiers in the enemies forces._ Impa flew down a flight of stairs and turned the corner, barely missing collision with a patrolling soldier. _Those so called 'missing' men could very well have been on their way to the castle while the battle was taking place. That was a week ago and they've had plenty of time to come this far._ Impa sped down the halls past rows of confused guards. Although they were used to her antics by now, the caretaker still managed to surprise them.

Impa swung around a corner and down another flight of stairs, running as fast as she could, until she reached the princess's suite. Pausing only to catch her breath, Impa pounded her gloved fist on the door. A guard with an angry look on his face, which soon softened as he saw who had been making the racket, opened the door. "What seems to be the problem, lady?"

Impa sighed. Despite her many attempts to convince the castle staff to call her by her name, they continued to call her 'lady', which _was _at least, an improvement over 'my lady'. "I need to speak to the Princess. Is she awake?"

"I am now," came a grumpy voice from within. "Come in, Impa, if you want me to hear you properly."

Impa nodded to the guard, who stepped aside, and made her way into the lushly decorated bedchamber. The shades on the great windows had been drawn open to allow the setting sun's light to shine in the room. On the four-poster bed in the corner lay Liana, in a silky golden shift. When Impa entered, the princess propped herself up in attempt to look proper if not royal.

"What is it?" she asked, somewhat sleepily.

"Have you looked out the window?" Impa strode over to the south-facing window and motioned the guard to look out. "Do you see anything peculiar about the field?"

The guard strained his eyes but shook his head. "It looks like there might be some clouds on the horizon to the south, but nothing out of the ordinary."

Angry at being ignored and fed up with trying to look royal, Liana stood and made her way to the window. "What are you looking at?" asked the princess grumpily.

Impa stepped aside and pointed to hill. "I noticed a flicker of movement on that hill while I was in Zelda's chamber putting her to bed. There's something not right about it."

Liana peered out onto the darkening field and examined the hill, but shrugged. "Looks like an ordinary hill to me too."

"You don't see any movement?" Impa asked.

Neither the guard nor Liana had. "It's probably nothing." Liana said as she walked back to her bed and lay down. "I don't think there's anything to be worried about."

"Well, I'm going out on the wall to get a better look at it." Impa turned and strode to the door.

"Fine, as long as you leave me alone." Liana waved her hand crossly for Impa to leave. "I don't feel too well."

As the Sheikah made her way down the ill-lit corridors of the castle, she found herself thinking that perhaps it _was_ nothing and she was just overreacting. But why did she still have this feeling of dread, which she only got it right before a battle was said to have begun? This strange premonition had never been wrong before.

Impa shoved open a heavy wooden door and stepped out onto the allure of the inner wall, which surrounded solely Hyrule Castle itself, not the town around the castle. The Sheikah caretaker nodded to the sentries and walked the length of the wall until she reached an area facing south. There, she pushed herself onto a battlement and peered out over the land. The hill she was looking for could not have been less than two hours walk from the castle, shorter by horseback. To Impa's right, the last rays of the sun were fading away.

In the silent twilight, the Sheikah cleared her mind and tried to listen for anything that might be classified as out of the ordinary. In the last year, she had taught herself to use her telepathy not only to hear other's thoughts, but the things one couldn't hear with only their ears. Things like hate, anguish, fear, content, and people's feelings. Perhaps she would be able to use that talent to her advantage this night.

Aside from the sounds of the guards pacing the wall, nothing seemed amiss. _Now what? _She asked herself as she jumped off the battlement. _It might be easier to hear on the outer wall._ Impa reentered the castle and made her way down several flights of stairs until she reached the foyer.

The Sheikah nodded to the two guards on duty by the great double doors as they opened one fore her. She walked down the trail to the gatehouse of the inner wall, which was opened just as cordially. As soon as she was out of sight of the castle, Impa took off in a dead run through the town to the outer wall, which she reached minutes.

Someone had already raised the drawbridge for the night, she saw as Impa pulled open the door to the left watchtower. Inside, she was greeted by the captain of the guards, Rommell, and many of the guards on night duty, who were taking their break. They stopped their conversations and stared at Impa, surprised by her sudden and unexpected appearance. Ignoring them, Impa made her way to the chair in which Rommell was slumped.

"Good evening, lady." Rommell straightened up. "What can we do for you?" A young man, Rommell could not have been older than thirty, and already a captain of the guards. Within a year, Impa figured he would probably be a knight of Hyrule. Rommell pushed his blonde hair from his eyes, which shown like mahogany gems in the light of the lanterns.

"I want to go up on the wall," Impa told him, crossing her arms across her chest defiantly. It was common knowledge between her and these men what they wanted. She had been in the employment of Hylians long enough to know that there were some men who thought of her as some kind of toy. "To look at something I saw at the castle."

Rommell was one of those men. She had known it from the moment they set eyes on each other; the day James had met her at the foot of Death Mountain to collect the caretaker that Liana had sent for.

"It's really dirty up there, lady." Rommell's eyes sparkled with withheld laughter. "Are you sure you want to?"

Impa groaned at the idiocy. They all seemed alike, Hylian men, and it was just like them to harass her. At least in Kakariko, the men knew not to mess with her. "Yes, I'm sure," she said with an exasperated sigh.

Impa left the tower and opened the door to the one on the right, climbing flight after flight of stairs. Then, she reached a landing that held a wooden door; the Sheikah ignored it and climbed higher until she reached a second. Though the staircase went on up even higher, Impa pushed open the door and let herself onto the outer wall. The outer wall had two levels to it—a lower and a higher. Although it boosted her twenty-five feet off the ground, the lower wall gave somewhat of a limit if she wanted to see long distances.

She had climbed to the high level of the outer wall and, because this wall was so high, she was able to see to the hill she had been watching from Liana's chamber. Before the war, ever third level would have had a guard behind it, but now, it was one every battlement for James felt need to keep Liana well protected as long as he was away.

Impa nodded graciously to one of the soldiers as she made her way across the wall. Reaching a battlement above the drawbridge, the mysterious shadow woman boosted herself onto it and sat listening to the silence. By this time, darkness and a heavy mist had long since fallen, the hill completely hidden from regular sight. Nevertheless, even in this darkening twilight, Impa could see a shape of it. Shadow folk had a talent for finding things hidden within the darkness.

As she peered at where she knew the hill was, Impa could have sworn she saw lights flickering. _What on earth . . . ?_ Impa leapt off the battlement and ushered the nearest guard to look out at the lights.

"Can you see those lights out there?" She pointed to one of the bright spots.

The guard peered through the mist, trying to make out what she saw. Even without light, Impa could see his expression growing serious. "Those are camp fires. There are people out there."

"Could they be refugees from some village Phillip raided?" Impa asked. It seemed like toomany campfires for a band of refugees.

"Not likely. Phillip hasn't attacked any villages for four months now." The guard drew in a shaky breath. "They must be an invading army. The messenger said one might be coming."

"What army?" Impa's hand went for her sword, her protective instinct taking effect. "He said nothing of an invasion to Princess Liana and I."

"He didn't want to frighten you or the castle staff." The soldier twisted his sword hilt restlessly. "He said there were four hundred men of Phillip's that the front line hadn't found during the sweep."

"Sweep?" _Maybe the soldiers ought to tell me these things. It might have been helpful in a time like this._

"They were combing the forest looking for Phillip's army," the guard explained. "They had hoped to drive them through the forest into Labrynna. We have an alliance with the Labrynnians and sent a message to their king, asking for their help."

Suddenly, Impa held up her hand to silence him. As he closed his mouth in confusion, he heard a horse's whinny sound far off.

Impa whirled back to the wall and peered into the darkness. There was nothing to be seen, but she heard the horse's hoof beats not far off. The Sheikah scanned the land for any trace of movement when suddenly she spotted a dark figure to the right. Two horses galloped at breakneck speed toward the castle walls.

As they pulled up in front of the drawbridge, Impa leaned over the wall and was able to get a good look at them. The horseman in the lead she automatically recognized as Sir Garret of Chastrion, Lady Coquina's husband, but the other man she did not remember. Impa had seen him with Coquina and Sir Garret at Zelda's christening but she could not quite place him.

"Sir Garret," whispered the soldier next to her as he leaned over for a look.

"We need to let them in," Impa told him as she turned away from the wall and started toward the tower.

"Wait!" He grabbed her shoulder and stopped her. "The drawbridge has already been raised for the night. They'll have to spend the night out there."

"What about that army assembled in the field?" Impa asked, waving an arm wildly at the field. "Are you just going to leave the Master of the Knights of Hyrule to be killed by a band of Phillip's men?"

"Very well," the guard agreed after some thought. "Go to the top of the tower and tell the soldiers there to let down the drawbridge for Master Sir Garret."

Impa nodded and hurried to the topmost tower that overlooked the field, relaying the message to the soldiers there. When she returned to ground, the caretaker was finally able to see whom was riding with Sir Garret—his brother, Sir Talmar. The horses stamped their hooves and shook their heads as the riders dismounted.

Impa bowed to Sir Garret. She had long since decided that curtsying was offensive and had stopped doing it. "So, you've finally returned."

She had half expected him laugh at her and bid her to rise, but as when he did not, Impa rose and looked around. Garret seemed somewhat removed as his eyes traveled around the gatehouse. "It looks like we've returned not a moment too soon."

Impa gave him a confused look. "What makes you say that?"

Garret waved his arm at the open field. "They're already here."

- Y -


	10. Chapter Nine: Fate Begins to Tighten its...

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Nine: Fate Begins to Tighten Its Grip **

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

"Phillip's invading army?"

Garret looked at the Sheikah in surprise as she spoke these words.

"How did you know that was an army?" he asked, referring to the camps outside the wall. Quickly, Impa explained about the movement on the hill she had seen and then how she heard news from the guard on the wall.

"What are we going to do?" Talmar asked anxiously. "We can't very well wait until James's force gets here to help. They might not even be coming."

Garret nodded. "Even so, they'd never make it before those invaders attack." The Master of the Knights grabbed his horse's reigns and started toward the stables, the others following. As they walked, the three compared strategies, but nothing seemed as though it had any chance of working.

"I don't think we have any choice," Talmar said as they reached the stable doors, pushing one open and stepping in, "But to—"

"Wait!" Impa interrupted. "Someone's coming."

Talmar leapt out of the stables and both men strained their ears, but heard nothing. "I don't think so, Impa." Garret turned back to her. "I don't hear anything."

"Because they're not in range yet," Impa explained offhandedly. "Just give it one . . . more . . . moment . . ." No sooner had the words died away the knights heard a pounding of feet heading in their direction. They turned around to see the soldier Impa had been talking to earlier, running toward them as fast as he could. As he reached them, the guard collapsed on the ground.

When Talmar recognized the guard, he knelt down and began to speak to him. "Paulo? What in Hyrule are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the manor guarding Lady Coquina!"

"You know this man?" Impa asked curiously.

Talmar nodded. "Yes, he's my squire." He turned back to Squire Paulo. "Is something wrong?"

Paulo nodded as he gasped for breath. "It . . . it was my watch that was on . . . guard tonight on the wall . . . that missing army of Phillip's . . . that Lady Impa spotted . . ." Impa let out a groan the name, which fortunately, Paulo did not hear. "They . . . they must have spotted you and . . . Sir Garret coming in so they . . . must have . . ." Paulo's voice trailed off as his words collapsed on each other. "Phillip's army attacked the drawbridge . . ."

Impa gasped. They had left the gatehouse not even fifteen ago. It wasn't possible for an army to congregate so quickly, was it? She thought about taking a look using her telepathy, but declined. It would take too long for her to channel her energies to do such a task.

"Goddesses! We can't possibly fight them," Talmar exclaimed.

"But we can't wait around for the rest of the force to arrive, if they are coming," Garret countered. "They wouldn't be here for at least three days."

"And we'll be long gone by that time," Paulo agreed.

"Isn't it obvious we can't stay here?" Impa said as Talmar surged to his feet. "We have to get everyone out now. That army could be through the outer wall any minute!"

"Evacuate the entire town!?" Talmar shook his head. "You're mad, Impa. That'd take hours."

Before Impa could say a word in protest, a loud bell rang out through the town. It echoed through the alleys and seeped into the houses, awakening the villagers. The message they woke to was one clear to them—Hyrule was under attack and it was time to flee.

Within minutes, the town of Hyrule was swarming with people running as fast as they could toward the castle. Mothers herded their screaming children before them and husbands wrapped their arms protectively around their wives. Wives. The thought struck Garret like a bullet. Coquina. She did not know she was in trouble.

The knight leapt up. He had to warn his wife of the danger and bring her to safety. However, just as Garret was about to enter the stream of people rushing past, a hand caught his wrist. "Garret! What do you think you're doing?" Impa cried above the crowd.

"I need to help Coquina!" he answered hurriedly, tugging his wrist out of her grasp in desperation, his face filled with fear. "She doesn't know about the attack!"

Several more hands latched on to his wrist and with one swift jerk, pulled him back against the wall of the stables. "Be rational, Garret! Chastrion is twenty minutes ride from here and even farther on foot," Talmar explained calmly. "Coquina will be safe for a while, but these people need our help now."

Garret shook his head. "No they don't. They know exactly what to do—when the bells toll, they are to take refuge where they can. I should know, I set up this system."

"What about Princess Liana?" Paulo brought up. "I don't believe she knows about the bells."

Impa nodded in agreement. "Their sound will not reach the castle, even if she _did_ know what they meant. And I mustprotect Zelda. She's my responsibility."

"Very well." Garret stopped struggling resentfully. "I'll help you save Zelda and Liana and get the castle staff out, but then I must help Coquina and Link."

Impa smiled at him and grasped his hand. She pulled him to his feet and, as the last of the townsfolk hurried past, Impa and the others ran out onto the street toward the castle. Risking one last look back, Impa strained to see the drawbridge, but the entire town was shrouded in silent mist and the cries of the villagers drifted away on the wind. Shaking her head, Impa turned back to the road and followed it to the castle, her flapping cobalt cloak leaving waves in the settled mist.

- Y -


	11. Chapter Ten: Liana Lives the Vision

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Ten: Liana Lives the Vision **

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

Impa burst through the doors of the castle and led Garret, Talmar, and his squire, Paulo, to the left up a staircase toward Princess Liana's suite. Row after row of soldiers tried to stop her for answers, but the Sheikah kept running, shouting that there was no time to explain. A trail of curious guards followed the group as Impa pounded on the doors of Liana's room. When the sounds of muffled voices announced that Liana had awoken, Impa tried to sneak past the assembled guards and down the corridor. Before she could escape, though, she felt Garret's hand grab her wrist. "Where are you going?" he hissed.

"I need to get Zelda," Impa answered hurriedly, tugging at her hand. "I'll be right back."

"What am I going to tell Liana without you here to help?" Garret asked.

"Just tell her the truth," Impa assured him. "She'll listen to you."

The knight looked skeptical, but released her. Dodging soldiers and servants in the halls, Impa scrambled to the baby princess's chamber. The room was beginning to chill, a few smoldering ashes were all that was left of the fire Impa had lit earlier. The princess, thankfully, was still fast asleep. Impa quickly crossed the room and lifted the sleeping child out of the cradle. The caretaker wrapped Zelda in blankets and, without a backwards glance, flew down the stairs back to Liana's bedchamber.

When she arrived, the room was total chaos. Liana's ladies-in-waiting scurried about as they tried to pack as much of the princess's immense wardrobe as they could. Liana herself was being helped into a travel outfit made of coarse-sewn dark violet fabric fashioned into a woman's tunic, cut just above her calf. While the princess dressed, the soldiers and knights were arguing in the hall, trying to decide which direction would be fastest and safest for their princesses.

"We should follow the ridge like the rest of the townsfolk probably have," Garret said to the assembled crowd, "and take refuge in Kakariko Village."

"Are you crazy?" demanded the egocentric captain of the guards, Rommell. "To take their Highnesses into a village full of vicious Sheikah would be suicide."

"So, it's all right to send the townsfolk there, but not the princesses?" Impa snapped, angered by Rommell's statement and fed up with his apparent lack of sense.

Rommell whirled around at the voice to find himself standing face to face with the Sheikah caretaker he had met in the gatehouse station tower. "Well . . . it's just that . . ." After tripping over his words, Rommell lost confidence in his cause and looked away in embarrassment.

_Perhaps proving him wrong might deflate that immense ego_, Impa thought. "That's what I thought." Impa could not help the smug smile that crossed her face. "We need to get to the ridge behind the castle as fast as we can."

The men nodded and hurried off, leaving only Garret and Talmar. Impa nodded silently, knowing they would be on their way to Chastrion within a matter of minutes. In the silence that followed, Impa began to wonder _what _was keeping Liana. Impa pounded on the door. Several squeals were heard, but no one yelled her to enter. Shaking her head, the Sheikah shoved open the door and hurried inside.

It looked like Liana had pulled her room entirely apart. She seemed to be searching for something and had her back to Impa when she entered. Silently, Impa crossed the room and rested a hand lightly on Liana's shoulder. The princess jumped and whirled around, clutching something to her breast. As she recognized Impa, Liana let out a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing?" Impa asked in an exasperated tone.

"I was looking for something,"Liana answered vaguely.

"What?" Impa could see Liana was hesitant to reveal whatever she was holding. _She might as well tell me straight out, _Impa thought to herself. _I'll find out anyway. _Somehow, Liana seemed to get the message as she opened her cupped hands. Impa's eyes widened as she saw what was within, a beautiful instrument, an ocarina. Impa had never seen an ocarina before, but heard about them from a merchant in her village.

An ocarina might be thought of as an ovular pipe and sounds similar to a flute. This ocarina was polished so smooth, it was like looking in a mirror, and one could almost see their reflection. The mouth of the flute was wrapped with an iron emblem of the Triforce. What was most extraordinary about it was its color; the most beautiful, pale shade of blue Impa had ever seen.

"What is _that_?" Impa asked in wide-eyed amazement. "I've never seen anything like it."

Liana nodded. "This is an ancient treasure of the Royal Family called the Ocarina of Time," the princess explained as they walked out the door, her ladies-in-waiting trailing after like a line of ducklings. "It has some amazing magical properties and purposes, but James won't tell me. He made me promise to guard it with my life, so I hid it in one of the drawers. But when Sir Garret told me I had to leave, I couldn't find it. I was so afraid I'd lost it . . ."

Her voice trailed off as they reached the doors to the Great Hall. Impa shoved one open and ushered the group inside. "Do you know where we're going?" Liana asked as they crossed the hall and entered another door.

Impa nodded. "I've been all over this castle."

When the Sheikah at last thrust open the door to the ridge, she almost screamed, finding herself inches from a quite nasty-looking soldier. The man was bedraggled and looked awful, but the way he held his sword to Impa's neck convinced her that he meant business. Behind her, the caretaker heard a faint ring as Garret and Talmar drew their swords. Impa clutched Zelda tightly and tried to inch away in order to give the knights more fighting room, in case it came to such, as she suspected.

However, the attacker must have realized what Impa was planning, for he moved to counter her. As he did so, Liana saw behind him an entire group of warriors waiting for a signal. This was no petty assassination attempt on her life as the knights had made it sound; this was Phillip's invasion army. In fear, the young princess staggered back, drawing the attention of, whom she assumed was the leader, away from Impa. In one swift movement, the leader touched the point of his sword to Liana's neck, in the process yelled orders at his army to continue their assault inside.

As the mass swarmed past, Garret felt one of Liana's ladies-in-waiting leave his side and start to run. Before he could stop them, the knight saw the others rush past. They were screaming, trying furiously to get away from the invaders. Garret tried to stop them, but the ladies slipped away before he had a chance.

Liana screamed horrifically as the leader pushed the point of his sword harder into her neck. As he drew back in satisfaction, a drop of blood squeezed out of the cut his sword had made. The warriors behind, who had remained with him, laughed. Garret leaned out and counted them quickly; there were three, four counting the leader. He nudged Talmar in the side. "We'll take them on three. Ready?"

Talmar took a deep breath and tried to smile. "Ready. One . . ."

"Two . . ." Garret tightened the grip on his sword.

"Three!"

The knights leapt from the shadows, startling the violent attackers. The invaders quickly drew their weapons on impulse, but were slightly too late. A swift strike from Garret's shining blade sent the leader's head on an awkward rolling toward Impa. Silently, the caretaker handed Zelda to Liana and picked up the head. Her ruby eyes darted about, searching for an open target.

Elsewhere, Talmar raised his sword, just in time to block a heavy blow from one of the attackers, the force of the impact resonating through his bones. The young knight managed to kick the soldier away and staggered back, aware that the attacker had quickly regained himself. Swiftly, Talmar sidestepped as the warrior dove at him. As the man barreled past, Talmar thrust out his sword, tripping the attacker and almost slicing his foot clean away. He cried out in pain as Talmar yanked his sword from the ground, but had no chance to react before Talmar drove his sword through the rouge's skull.

As Garret regrouped from the attack on the leader, he was unaware that one of the other soldiers had snuck up behind him. The soldier silently drew a dagger and held it up above Garret's back. At that instant, Impa turned her head and caught sight of the dagger as it glinted in the dim moonlight. Thinking fast, she raised her arm and flung the mangled head of the leader at his living comrade. It hit in the small of his back with a dull thud and the soldier grunted, giving away his presence.

With lightening speed, Garret whirled around and swung his sword in a high arc above his head. The soldier sprawled on the ground let out a scream as the blade fell, crashing into his heart. Garret wrenched his sword free and turned to face his next opponent, but before he had a chance to do anything, a loud crash brought his attention to the castle. A flickering had started near the door of the kitchens, through which they had come.

"Fire . . ." Liana whispered as though entranced.

Garret rushed forward and grabbed Liana's arm, pulling her from where she stood frozen by the wall. Too shocked and scared to even think, Liana allowed herself to be forced into a run. As she watched Garret and Liana running, Impa looked around, but when her eyes saw what Garret had seen, the Sheikah whirled around and began to run after them.

As Talmar saw her coming toward him he called out, "What is it?" She did not answer and, as she passed him by, he felt her grab his wrist, dragging him after. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"Just run!" Impa screamed.

Chancing a look back, Talmar saw the fire creeping up the side of the castle into the kitchen.

"Goddesses, duck!" Talmar threw himself and Impa to the ground, just as the fire in the kitchens exploded, sending shrapnel flying farther than where Garret and Liana stood.

As he saw the chunks of stone hurtling toward him, Garret threw the princesses to the ground and lay down over them, hoisting his shield into the air. No sooner had he done so that he felt a rock bounce off his shield and fall next to them. Several more hit the shield before a long stretch of utter silence told Garret it might be safe. He dropped the shield and hoisted himself up. Just behind, he saw Talmar help Impa to her feet.

Garret turned back to Liana and held out a hand. Instead of taking it, she handed him Zelda's bundle. "Take her to Impa," Liana ordered calmly as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "I need to rest a moment." Garret nodded and walked away.

The young princess sat back, watching the remains of the castle kitchens flicker. A lone tear trickled down her cheek as she wished for her husband's army to appear. However, they were days away, and she knew the inevitable was upon her. As she looked back up, the flames seemed to leap out to her. There was something all too familiar about them, something that she feared; yet, of existence she did not doubt.

Sitting at the edge of the ridge above Chastrion, the province in which many of the Hylians lived, where stood the manor Sir Garret and Lady Coquina resided within, memories flew through her mind. She and James had sat out here many summer's nights, watching the Hylian sunset. Liana recalled the times with pain in her heart, a subconscious knowledge within that she would never again share those perfect evenings with her beloved. It was then that, as she felt a sharp prick in her back, Liana remembered the vision.

Garret had taken no more than five steps from her side when her heard Liana cry out. Leaving the baby gently in the grass, Garret waved to Talmar before he whirled back to Liana. One of Phillip's soldiers had snuck up on her as she sat catching her breath and plunged his dagger into her back.

"Liana!" Garret heard Impa scream behind him and felt her fly past.

The renegade assassin barely had time to think as he looked up to see Impa coming at him as fast as she could. A moment later, he fell to the ground, the Sheikah's silver blade protruding from his bloody chest. She stepped up to him, glaring at the attacker with her cold eyes as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Fo-or t-the ki—" But his voice was cut off as Impa wrenched the sword from his gut and blood clotted his speech, the liquid pouring out of his mouth in spurts.

Impa gave him a vengeful kick before she turned back to Garret, who had knelt beside Liana's form. He had managed to extract the crude dagger, but its jagged edges had shredded her body on the inside. Impa thrust her sword into the ground and sat down next to Garret. Near the castle, Talmar had reached the point Garret had left Zelda. Carefully, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms.

When she felt someone sit down next to her, Liana summoned the last of her strength and forced open her eyes. "Impa?" she rasped as she struggled to focus her eyes. The figure moved in closer. Yes, it was her. Liana tried to smile, but she was fading fast. "Where is Zelda?"

Impa looked around. "Sir Talmar has her. She's safe."

Liana nodded weakly. "I was wondering if it would ever come to this."

"Come to what?" Impa asked in confusion.

"This," Liana replied vaguely. "If our visions would come true."

_Visions? _Impa could not remember Liana ever having visions. _There was once,_ Impa forced her mind back to the time of the christening when Liana had almost fainted. _But she'd been delirious, ranting about a vision of . . . what? Fire. Flashing blades. Pain. _But Liana had not spoken of her one vision, she had spoken of several. 'Our visions' . . . who did Liana know of that had seen a vision?

"What visions, Liana?" Impa queried.

Liana coughed and spat blood all over Impa, who didn't even flinch. "That's right," Liana laughed as she coughed up more blood. "You don't know."

Impa shook her head, praying the princess would calm down.

"The day Zelda was born, I received a visit from a prophetess," Liana explained patiently. "A blind prophetess, with dark hair and a long dress. The prophetess said her name was Havieze and that she had a vision to share with me. The woman obviously came from outside Hyrule, for she never once bowed and addressed me, not as 'your majesty', but 'Liana of Hyrule'. I had my attendants allow her to stay," Liana swallowed. "I asked to have her escorted to a chair, but she found it on her own without any trouble. That was when I became a bit suspicious, because her eyes showed blindness, yet her actions spoke otherwise.

"When she sat down, Havieze began explaining what she saw in the vision. She said she saw you, Impa." Impa's eyes widened. "And you held Zelda in your arms. Then, she told me that the setting changed and she saw a pretty young girl in a lavender dress, who couldn't be more than ten years old." Liana took a deep breath. "She had her back to Havieze at the time, but as she turned around, Havieze got a good look at her. She said the girl looked just like James. But, when the girl turned, another person came into view.

"It was a little boy near her age. But before anything happened, the vision shifted once more and Havieze was in a field. I was there and Havieze said she saw something trickling down my back. When she looked closer, she saw it was blood." Liana panted for breath, the words she wanted to speak coming harder. "Havieze looked up one more time and saw the setting move until she was in front of the castle. She saw the little girl and a woman whom she claimed looked remarkably like Impa, appear through a wall of ivy and run into town. That's when she looked up to see the castle in flames . . .

"She explained to me that only in visions could she see the true world and through that world see the world of men . . ." Liana's voice trailed off as her head fell back and a stream of blood trickled from her lips.

Impa leaned in. "Liana?" she whispered in the softest voice.

Liana's eyes snapped open, startling the Sheikah. "Impa!" she gasped, sputtering. The princess grabbed Impa's sleeve tightly. "Take . . . take the ocarina . . ."

"The ocarina?" Impa repeated. "Why?"

"Treasure . . . of the . . . Silver Legacy . . ." Her words came slowly, forced out by the urgency in her order. "Time . . . sacred . . ." Before she could finish, the pounding of her heart froze. As much as the others hated and willed it not to be true, they knew Liana was dead.

Liana and this mysterious prophetess had seen the princess's death, and theninterpreted it. Liana had known what would befall her and what needed to be in order before it happened. _So that's why she sent for me_, Impa thought. _She knew she was going to die and wanted someone she could trust to watch over Zelda in her stead. _

Footfalls behind startled Garret and Impa. They turned around and saw Talmar making his way over to them. "I heard everything," he said as he reached them. "It's terrible, I know, but we have to get moving. That army might be done with the castle any minute and once they finish here, I'm sure they'll head to Chastrion. If you want to save Coquina, Garret, we need to go now."

Garret nodded and stood up. "What about . . .?" he gestured at Liana's still form.

Impa shook her head as reached into Liana's belt pouch and withdrew the glimmering Ocarina of Time. The caretaker surged to her feet. "We have to leave her. We can't carry her and make it to Chastrion before the army gets there."

The knights nodded in agreement, but they bowed their heads as they passed, whispering, "May Nayru rest your soul, Liana."

- Y -


	12. Chapter Eleven: Parting Ways Again

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Eleven: Parting Ways Again**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

"Coquina!" Garret yelled at the top of his lungs as he, Impa, and Talmar ran to the manor. The knight hoped that, by some miracle, his beloved wife might hear him. The group slammed through the side door in the wall and ran across the courtyard. Garret led the group up a staircase, down a hall, through several doors and all around the manor until Impa were quite lost.

At last, they entered a room lit with a small fire. In one corner stood a desk at which sat, writing in a book, none other than Coquina herself.

As she heard the door open, Coquina turned and stood. When she did so, Garret crossed the room in four long, graceful strides and took her into his arms. She smiled and kissed him, not a word needed to be spoken until Garret broke away. "Please, darling, now is not the time."

Coquina gave him a wry look. "Why ever not?" she asked. As she saw the somber faces around her, Coquina realized her husband was not home to stay. "Has something happened?"

"Hyrule Castle has been attacked by four hundred of Phillip's men," Garret explained hastily. "They killed Princess Liana and we barely escaped with our lives."

Coquina's face was a mirror of concern as she lifted Link's sleeping form from his cradle. "Where are Prince James's men?"

"Waiting unknowingly in the forest." Garret took her hand and led her out of the room. "They haven't the faintest idea what's happening."

"But that means—"

"—Phillip's army will get here before James gets word of the attack," Impa finished as they clambered down a staircase. "There are enough soldiers here to keep Chastrion from being taken over immediately, but it's only a matter of time before all this becomes a pile of ash."

Garret pushed open a wooden door and the group made their way into the stables, where some fifty horses stamped their hooves, demanding hay. The master knight walked up to a stall where a beautiful chestnut stallion snorted at him. The mustang stepped back a pace, smelling fear on the human before him. As Garret shot the bolts on his stall, the mustang reared up and neighed loudly, startling the other horses, which neighed in answer.

Ignoring them, Garret threw a blanket over the stallion. The horse gathered his wits and allowed himself to be saddled for Coquina. In the meantime, Talmar brought Impa to a horse of her own. She thanked him but declined his offer to saddle the horse. Talmar then led his own black mare out of her stall and prepared her.

Within ten minutes, the group had mounted their horses and stood outside the stables, talking to the captain of the Chastrion guards. He was a large man with a thick mustache whose chain mail seemed too tight in places.

"And I wish you luck," Garret finished explaining the situation to the guard. The man stroked his chin and shook his head.

"I don't think they'll be able to get through here, sir," the captain assured him. "We'll be waiting when you return."

Shaking his head, Garret expressed his thanks and led the group out of the walls and to the south. When they were a few miles from the manor, Garret pulled up his mare and turned around. Coquina rode to his side. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I was just thinking. You see . . . well . . ." He had the words ready in his mind, but when they reached his mouth, they stumbled over one another, coming out in jumbles.

Talmar knew what his brother was trying to say and kindly stepped in. "What Garret is trying to say is, something needs to be done about this army." He waved in the direction of Hyrule Castle. "Someone needs to ride to the forest and warn James and his troops. I think that Garret and I, being knights of Hyrule, are obligated to go after him."

"I'm coming with you," Coquina stated.

"Don't be absurd," Talmar retorted seriously. "You'll be putting yourself in grave danger, not to mention your son."

Coquina narrowed her eyes. "Then what am I to do?"

"You'll come with me," Impa said. "I am taking Zelda to Kakariko village to wait out this battle. Much as I would like to help, I swore to Liana I'd do everything in my power to keep her daughter safe."

"Please, Coquina," Garret pleaded, his eyes filled with genuine care and concern for her. "I only slept this last year knowing you and Link were safe in Chastrion. When this war ends, I want to know that you're still safe, even if not in our home."

Coquina could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, despite her determination to be strong. She knew it was possible that she may never see him again, and the thought nearly broke her heart. It was like this every time he went into battle but shouldn't she have learned by now to be numb to the feeling?

Garret could see her hesitation and quietly dismounted. He lifted her out of the saddle. Daring not meet his eyes, Coquina dropped her head onto his shoulder and began to weep. "Why must you go? Can't you come with me?" she whispered but she knew his answer before she heard it.

"I'm sorry, but they need me."

Coquina pushed away in bitter anguish. "Why you? Why is it always you!?" she cried.

"Because I'm the Master of the Knights of Hyrule and it's my duty."

Coquina did not answer but Garret knew she understood. He could see how it became increasingly painful for her to see him go, never knowing if the next messenger riding through the gates brought news of victory or defeat.

She was crying again, her stunning face hidden by her hands. Slowly, he brought her back into his arms. She clung to him with fierce determination. After what seemed like only a few seconds, though was more like several minutes, Garret and Coquina broke away and mounted their horses.

"If you ride across the ridge behind Hyrule Castle, you should reach the village in a couple hours." Garret told Impa.

"And you?" the Sheikah inquired.

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Garret answered, "But I think this could be the deciding battle. I'm sure you'll hear the news soon."

He rode over to Coquina, who turned her head away. He lightly took her chin and turned her back to him. "If you never believe my word again, at least believe this: I _will _see you again. Not rain, nor snow, nor the fires of hell could stop me."

"All right," she whispered faintly. Still holding her chin, Garret drew her close until their lips met.

They embraced and Impa saw they were one with each other. She politely turned away, but could not help wondering what it must be like to be to someone what Coquina was to Garret. Love was a dream to the caretaker; only a dream. One she felt could never be. True love only came to those lucky enough to receive it. Happiness like that never came to common folk like herself.

Talmar waited patiently as he brother embraced. Garret was free express his love to a woman who loved him back. One could be by his side no matter what. Someone who could always be there. Talmar sighed. If only that could have been true for Ayasha. Remembering her made the pain return, pain he had so strenuously hushed before returning to Hyrule.

No one knew about Ayasha—she had been his secret. Ayasha lived in a village on the border between Hyrule and Termina. Ayasha had lively brown eyes, bright, mahogany hair, and a voice that rang sweet as a bell with every word she spoke. Ayasha wore simple hand-spun dresses and her skin was tanned from the sun. Ayasha was perfect. At least, in Talmar'' eyes she was.

Talmar met Ayasha a year before the Great War, only three weeks before the christening of Princess Zelda. It had been while he and a legion of knights guarded the Hylian/Terminan border. It was there, while he had been circling a section of the forest, that he came upon a young woman digging in the ground. Talmar approached her and saw that she was hardly older than he himself.

The woman heard his footfalls and quickly jumped to her feet, spinning around in the same movement. She clutched the basket of roots to her and looked around in fright, probably searching the woods for other soldiers. Her eyes were wide as plates and she was poised on the balls of her feet, ready to run. Talmar took a step forward, to which she backed away. When he had at last assured her that he meant no harm, she smiled and put down the basket. The pair sat in the forest for hours, just talking.

Only when the sun set did Talmar realize they had been talking all day. He got up and offered to escort her back to Tyrandora, the only Hylian village for miles. But she blurted out that she lived in a village not far in the opposite direction, which Talmar knew was a Terminan settlement. No sooner did the words leave her mouth that she froze. She had not meant him to find out like this. Ayasha was Terminan.

She fled in fear, knowing he was a Hylian. It stung to see her go, though he had no idea why. Wasn't she to be considered an enemy? He toyed with the idea as he walked back to Tyrandora and when morning came at last, he had decided to see her again, for _what_ she was didn't matter they way _who_ she was did. He retraced his steps until he reached the clearing where they had talked. It was empty.

Talmar figured he should have expected it, the way she fled. Why would she ever return, for fear he might be there? Then, a rustling in the bushes behind him drew Talmar's attention from his thoughts. He drew his sword but a moment later, Ayasha stepped out. She began to apologize for running off, but he stopped her mid-sentence. _He _was the one who should have apologized. When she smiled, he knew what had happened did not matter any more.

For the next three weeks, they continued to meet in secret in the hidden clearing in the woods. Whenever Talmar was on his way there or back, he always felt they were pressing their luck, that they might soon be discovered. However, whenever he was with her, all worry melted away like butter.

Then, the new regiment of soldiers arrived to replace of Talmar's group. He hated to part with Ayasha but vowed to her that he would return, even if it meant leaving Hyrule forever. Then, the day before he reached the castle, Talmar began to get the feeling that something had happened to Ayasha. He knew not whether she had died or been taken from her home. He did not even know how he knew. Something inside just told him she would not be waiting for him in the clearing.

He returned to Hyrule in sadness, but quickly concealed it. If people noticed his sorrowful mood, they would ask questions, and Talmar knew he would not be able to lie to them. So he wore a mask of happiness though, on the inside, his heart was breaking. In time, the pain had ebbed and the heat of battle drove all thought of Ayasha from his mind. Yet, as he saw Garret and Coquina in their embrace, he felt the pang of loss so strong, it was all he could do to keep himself from crying out.

Coquina and Garret, unbeknownst to the feelings around them, clung to each other in this perfect instant. The air around them was so silent; Coquina could hear her own heartbeat, matched perfectly with Garret's. The entire world seemed to be holding its breath. Despite it all, Coquina barely caught Garret's hushed whisper, "I love you."

Like all good things, this too had to come to an end. Coquina was unwilling to let go; she longed to live out eternity in that moment. Then, all too soon, Garret pulled away, returning them both to reality.

He turned his horse around, giving Coquina one last, longing look before he dug his heels into the horse's flank. With a loud whinny, the horse reared and galloped away, followed closely by Talmar.

Glancing at Coquina quickly, Impa turned her horse toward the left of the castle, opposite the way Garret and Talmar had gone. She nudged the horse in its stomach and it walked up the trail. The going was completely silent, so much so that Impa had to check to see that Coquina was still with her.

Coquina followed Impa automatically without a word, lost in her thoughts. Nothing seemed real anymore, as though Garret had taken some part of her with as he rode out of sight. Visions of him played over in her mind like a slideshow. Garret playing with Link. Garret dressed in his shining armor. Garret dancing with her at the ball. Garret telling her he loved her. That was the only one that made sense. His words repeated in her mind like a broke record. I love you. I love you.

"I love you, Garret," Coquina whispered as she closed her eyes and let her horse follow Impa in silence.

- Y -


	13. Chapter Twelve: James's Shadow

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Twelve: James's Shadow**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

The horses crashed through a stream as Coquina and Impa made their way around the back of Hyrule Castle. Black smoke billowed up, but nowhere she looked could Coquina see fire. The only part of the castle that appeared to have been lost was the kitchens. The rest of the castle, miraculously, was still standing, despite how it was smoldering.

In the dim moonlight, Coquina could make out shapes slumped over the battlements of the inner wall. The scene drove her personal sadness from mind. "What _happened _here?" Coquina asked as the rode up to the wall.

Impa shook her head. "I don't know," Impa said in wonder, looking at something on the ground. "It looks as thought there was a battle."

"How can that be?" Coquina's eyes locked onto one of the shapes as they rode by. "What kind of resistance could the guards possibly have put up?"

Impa opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly pulled up her horse. "There's something in the road."

Coquina looked and caught her breath as she saw a body that had fallen from the wall, landing on the ground, an arrow sticking out of his neck. Coquina gagged and turned away from the gruesome sight.

Impa's eyes narrowed as she dismounted. As long as this man had not been dead for too long, she might be able to tap into his memory and find out what happened. She knelt beside him and placed her fingers on his temples. Suddenly, Impa lurched back and nearly lost her hold as the events of the past evening flooded into her head. And as quickly as it started, the stream of information ended, leaving Impa to sort through what she'd just seen.

Coquina watched as Impa mounted her mare again and started on without a word. It was so quiet, Coquina was unsure whether she should break it or let Impa speak first.

"James returned just in time," Impa said out of the blue.

"What?" Coquina asked in confusion, "He returned?"

"After the battle in the forest, James had his men tally the bodies of the enemy," Impa explained this as though she too were hearing it for the first time. "Phillip started the battle with about a thousand men. James had fifteen hundred. The fight was long, cold, and gruesome, but it came to a halt to the relief of both sides.

"At the end of the tally, four hundred of Phillip's men were dead. The battle had ended when the remaining force of two hundred ordered a retreat . . . without Phillip ordering them to. James suspected he'd been killed at last but his body never turned up.

"They combed the forest looking for him and the four hundred men who were missing but they were never found. The whole time, Phillip's army had been hiding just outside the forest, where no one thought to look." Their horses passed through a small grove of trees and Impa paused for a moment. "At the end of the battle," she continued, "James sent that messenger we received to the castle. The next day, Phillip and his 'missing' army followed the Zora River upstream to the castle.

"That same day, the idea came to James's mind that the missing four hundred might have snuck off during the fighting. The battle could have been a diversion so Phillip could lead a party of men to storm the castle. Realizing this, James sent Garret and Talmar to warn the Princess and the castle of what was going to happen. As soon as they were gone, James organized six hundred of his remaining thousand men to follow him to the castle. He knew Phillip might reach the castle first, but he had to try.

"That was three days ago. Earlier this evening, just after sunset, I was out on the wall, trying to see what I felt from Zelda's tower. That's when I saw Garret and Talmar ride up to the wall. When they told us what was happening, we ran back to the castle to warn Liana and help the princesses escape. But, before we even got past the stables, we were informed that the army, which I had seen camped out on the field, had attacked the outer wall. By the time we got Liana and Zelda out of the castle, the invaders had reached it. On the back ridge, we were attacked by a party coming in. We managed to beat them, but not before one ran Liana through."

Impa paused, trying to advert her thoughts from the sad memory of Liana's death. "She was dead within minutes," Impa went on, "And we had to leave her body in order to reach Chastrion before any attackers did. While we ran, James's troops reached to gatehouse. They forced their way in and battle raged in the middle of the town. James's party managed to extinguish most of the fires, but it appears they weren't able to save the kitchens. Goddesses be praised the rest of the castle still stands.

The Sheikah took a deep breath. "James lost nearly all of his force in the time it took us to situate ourselves and leave Chastrion. Apparently, he found his brother in the throne room with Clarence's crown on his head, laughing like a madman. James tried to reason with him but Phillip wouldn't have it. He broke one of the stained-glass windows and flung himself out it. Right before he fell, he said, 'You lose, James. I was born prince, born under your shadow, but not anymore. I die by my birthright, better than you . . . King!' And then he was dead, the crown still on his head."

Coquina shuddered at the thought of such madness come from a Prince of Hyrule. There was a social stereotype of sorts on the Silver Legacy, most of which were the expectations of perfection and idealism of Hylians. After all, the Goddesses chose the Silver Legacy as the epitome of a Hylian being. Because of such, the common folk greatly revered the Royal Family. But, though royal, the members of the Silver Legacy were people too and people are not perfect. People have fears, dreams, gripes, and feelings. Perhaps this incident with the younger prince might help to dispel these impossible standards.

Prince Phillip had lived under the shadow of his older brother, the Crown Prince, James, his entire life, and it was a recurring source of torture. If he didn't live up to James, people thought him weak, pathetic, but if he did succeed, no one cared. It had all been done before by James. It was the simple, classic need for attention that had started all this. Phillip had wanted so badly for his father to notice him, just to see him as Phillip, his son. Instead, Clarence saw him as Phillip, the younger prince. It was clear their father favored James, which must have been the reason Phillip arranged to have his father and brother assassinated.

But that hadn't worked for, by some miracle, James had survived. Soon he would take over rule of Hyrule and Phillip would become just another face in the court, no more important than the merchant next to him. Phillip, always ambitious, longed to make a difference in Hyrule. He knew he could ally Hyrule with her long enemy Termina, and this thought was what drove him to believe that he would have made a better ruler than James. That he would no longer live in his brother's footsteps.

This reasoning was the true force behind the beginning of the Great War. Phillip only longed to have a chance as King. And he did, even if only for a few moments. It was almost comforting in Coquina's mind to know he had at last been at peace when he wore the crown. No longer was he James's shadow, but the Prince of the Great War, a time and title that would become part of Hyrule's great _Book of Mudora_. She no longer felt hate for the dejected prince, but pity. Farore rest his soul.

The two female travelers rode far into the night, each silent, absorbed in her own thoughts. The moon had long since set but it was still hours from dawn. Coquina and Impa followed a dirt trail up a steep embankment just above Kakariko Village. That was when Coquina caught sight of an oddly shaped lump in the middle of the road. In the dim starlight, she was unable to focus on it.

"Wait a minute," she called up to Impa as pulled her horse to a halt. Confused, Impa turned around in the saddle and watched Coquina dismount.

As Coquina walked over to the shape, Impa suddenly realized what it was. "Coquina, I think you should get back on your horse."

Coquina stopped and looked back. "Why?"

No sooner had the word left her mouth that the dejected lump sprang to life. In the blink of an eye, it grabbed Coquina and held a sword to her neck.

"Move," the man uttered to Impa, "and she dies." He pressed the blade tighter in Coquina's flesh, drawing a drop of blood.

Impa nodded and, as she did so, caught sight of four more shapes, presumably more men, moving up around them. One grabbed her horse's reigns and grunted, "Get off."

Silently, Impa swung her leg over the side of the horse. As she dismounted, the Sheikah drew the sword she'd latched to the saddle. Fortunately, none but Coquina noticed the blade flash before it disappeared under Impa's cloak.

The man that held Coquina ran his fingers through her hair. "You smell nice," he commented. Disgusted, Coquina looked away and caught Impa's eye and slight nod. Without warning, the lady trust her elbow into the man's stomach, so hard and so fast it knocked the wind right out of him. He doubled over, dropping the sword to the ground where he fell beside it, heaving for air.

At the same instant, Impa flung her cloak aside and shoved her silver blade into the gut of the man nearest her. He coughed and tried to draw his own weapon, but Impa twisted her sword roughly, tearing the inside of his stomach and killing him.

As Coquina tried to pick up the first man's massive blade, Impa wrenched her own from the second man's body. The remaining three stood in shock for a moment, but quickly began to regained their senses. They drew their swords and rushed at the two women.

Coquina sidestepped as one barreled past. Another raised his sword to strike a blow to Impa, who countered his attack. The third ran at Impa, who kicked first in the stomach, then threw herself back out of the way.

A cry behind brought Coquina's attention to the man she'd dodged. The attacker ran at her again, sword in the air. Coquina tried to raise her blade to block, but she couldn't even lift it off the ground. The attacker swung his sword before Coquina had a change to dodge him. This time, the strike sliced right across her stomach and Coquina screamed as the red hot pain shot through her body like fire.

Impa turned her head just in time to see Coquina stagger away from an attacker, who raised his sword to strike her again. As the Sheikah blocked a blow from one man and sidestepped to avoid another, she drew a sleek dagger in her left hand. Holding the blade in her mouth, Impa pulled her sword away at the last minute and did a back flip, boots connecting with someone's jaw. As she landed back on her feet, the Sheikah heard a sickening crunch from the mouth of the man she'd kicked.

Ignoring him, Impa pulled the dagger out of her mouth, and threw it straight into the chest of the man who'd been about to strike the fallen Coquina. In his surprise, he dropped the sword behind him, staggered a few shaky feet, then fell to the ground, dead. Impa ducked as the man whose jaw she'd broken swung his sword wildly over her head.

She quickly rolled between his legs and leapt to her feet, just in time to dodge a blow from the other attacker. Impa risked a glance back at Coquina, who'd gathered herself together and managed to stagger back to her horse. Blood gushed from the gash across her stomach and dribbled down her lavender dress, staining it a murky brown.

"Coquina!" Impa yelled as she blocked another blow. "Get out of here!" The Sheikah dropped on the ground as air whooshed above the place she'd just been.

Coquina heard nothing as she slumped against the side of her horse, which fortunately was used to the smell of blood and didn't shy away. The lady heaved for breath, clutching the horse for support, eyes closed in pain.

Impa knew before she saw that Coquina hadn't done as she asked. She must not have heard, which was understandable. Impa blocked another blow as she reached out to Coquina through her mind. (_Get on the horse, Coquina!_)

Coquina heard Impa's voice waft through her consciousness. Somehow, she managed to pull herself onto the horse's back, though every movement filled with fiery pain. When she at last got herself into a sitting position, Impa's voice filled her head once more. (_Now ride! Don't worry about me—_) the connection was lost as Impa flipped backward.(_—I'll be fine. Go!_)

Hardly able to register what was happening, Coquina dug her heals into the horse's stomach. The mare let out a neigh and galloped past Impa, trampling the leg of one of her attackers. Coquina hardly heard his scream as her horse flew back across the ridge, around the castle, and into the town in less time than she thought possible. It was evident that the horse was no longer taking her to Kakariko Village, but all Coquina really knew before she passed out was that the horse was going south.

- Y -

The sky was just lightening when Coquina came to. She was lying down, covered by something heavy. Her mind cleared slightly and she realized she in a pile of hay, a frozen cloak covering her. Apparently, her cloak had flipped over her body, which had kept her warm the whole freezing night.

Coquina tried to sit up, but instantly regretted it. She flung the cloak aside and looked down at her stomach. The gash across it pulsed so painfully, she turned her head to one side and retched, vomiting up what little food she'd eaten in Chastrion, until it turned to dry heaves. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve in disgust. Her throat burned and the taste in her mouth was rotten and sour. The gash was pulsing again, but this time Coquina managed to keep her stomach from leaping into her throat.

When she'd at last regained control of herself, Coquina risked another look at her bloody stomach. The sword had cut clean through her skin and, at some point, strips of fabric from her dress had fallen over the cut. They had soaked up the blood and the chilled air had frozen them to her skin, a most unpleasant feeling.

Tenderly, Coquina peeled back the cloth, exposing the cut to fresh air, which stung more than anything ever before. It took all of Coquina's self control to keep herself from screaming at the top of her lungs which, luckily, had not been damaged.

The gash had swollen twice its original size and oozed an evil smelling yellowy liquid, puss. The gash was infected. Her attacker's sword must have been bathed in poison before he used it. If she could get the antidote within the next few days, she could stop it. But she'd better do her best to stop the bleeding now. Coquina bent down as carefully as she could and tugged at the hem of her dress, which came loose and pulled off in a long strip.

Coquina wrapped it loosely around her waist, hoping that if the gash were somewhat open to fresh air, it might feel better. Wincing in pain, she pushed herself to her feet, instantly over balanced, and started to fall forward. She quickly put a foot out to right herself. For a moment, Coquina wobbled unsteadily until she attempted to take another step.

After a few more unsure steps, she was up against her horse. Her horse! Coquina did a double take and was shocked to see it standing at the pile of hay, munching happily. She leaned on it in exhaustion, but all the steed turned to regard her before going back to his meal. Apparently, Coquina had fallen into the haystack when the horse stopped to eat. The thought of food made her stomach rumble with hunger, causing her wound to pulse and her to wince.

From the basket on the other side of the horse, a wail drew Coquina's attention to her son. Coquina made her way carefully around the back of the horse, who took no notice of her, and lifted Link out of the blankets.

"Mah-mah," he whined, "Mah-mah."

"Shhh," she crooned, "I don't have anything to eat, dear."

"Mah-mah," he said again weakly before he closed his eyes. If only she could still feed him her milk, but she hadn't had any milk to give for nearly a month, since he'd weaned.

Quietly, she put him back in the basket and clambered onto her horse. He raised his head for a moment before going back to his meal. Coquina tried to sit up but, when that hurt too much to continue, she slumped pathetically forward. She tugged on the reigns and nudged the horse's stomach. Obediently, he raised his head and turned away from the hay.

Where would she go? Her stomach grumbled, reminding her of her need something to eat. Coquina looked around. There should have been a farm house near by, the one the haystack belonged to, but Coquina saw nothing. To the north, Coquina could see the dim outline of Hyrule Castle. The farmhouse must have been farther south.

Coquina shook her head. Perhaps the people there would feed her, then they could go after Impa, if she was still alive. The lady shuddered at the thought of her friend's death. Coquina gave her horse a swift kick and lurched back as he galloped southward. If luck was with her, she'd never have to think of such again.

- Y -

Hours later, the sky was covered by clouds and snow was falling. It stuck to her eyes, her hair, and her skin but Coquina didn't notice. She'd long since lost consciousness and slumped forward in the saddle, arms flopping over the horse's side in time with his loping pace.

The stallion was ambling placidly over the hills when he raised his head to sniff the air. On the wind was the scent of a mare to the east. He changed direction and sped right to the speckled white mare with a rider on her back. The steed took not notice of the man as he held up his head and began to canter beside the mare.

The rider shouted something to another man in front of him and pulled the mare to a stop. The steed halted as the black haired man dismounted and grabbed the woman in the stallion's saddle. The horse took no notice as the other man, who had blonde hair, leapt off his mount and said something to the black haired man.

The stallion snorted as the blonde man's mare trotted over to him. The men were talking and pointing but the horse took no notice. What horse would, with two mares clustering around him?

- Y -

"Coquina!"

The voice sounded familiar, but far away. She didn't have the energy to answer. Better to stay here, away from the pain.

"Coquina!" the voice called again, this time more urgent. She struggled, trying to reach the voice. "Coquina!" With the last call, Coquina's head broke through Death's icy waters and forced her back to the realm of the living.

The first thing she felt was the pain in her stomach from the wound. It was so excruciating, she turned her head and dry-heaved. When she swallowed, she felt strong arms engulf her and cold iron pressed against her wound. She let out a cry of pain and the arms drew away.

At last, her eyes thawed and she forced them open. First, all she saw was white. For a moment she wondered if she'd gone blind. Then, a blurry tan circle obstructed her view, and another soon joined it. This one was rimmed with black while the other one had yellow.

She blinked rapidly, bringing her eyes into focus. The tan circles turned into tan faces and the rims hair. _I know these faces_, she thought vaguely to herself. The answer hit her like lightening; Garret and Talmar.

Coquina opened her mouth and tried to sit up, but the sudden movement jarred her wound and she slumped pathetically into the snow. Her voice cracked and rasped when she tried to speak, yet no coherent words escaped.

Finally, she managed to get something out. "G . . . a . . . r . . . r . . . e . . . t . . ."

She heard Garret expel a sigh of relief. "She's alive," he said to Talmar.

"Gar . . . ret . . ." Coquina said again.

"I'm here," the knight assured her as he knelt in the snow.

"Impa . . ." said Coquina.

"She's not here," Garret answered. "She wasn't with you."

"Help . . ."

"You'll be all right," Garret said in a tender voice. "Talmar, build a fire."

Talmar nodded and left. Garret reached an arm under Coquina's head, but she shook it savagely. "Help . . . Impa . . ."

"Help Impa?" Garret repeated. "Is she in trouble?"

"Attacked . . ." Coquina said slowly. "We were . . . attacked . . . five men . . . hurt . . ."

She groaned and winced. Behind her, Coquina could here a fire crackling. She felt Garret carry her limp form to it. It was pleasant to feel the warmth washing over her frozen body. She'd long since lost her cloak.

"You were attacked by five men?" Garret tried to decipher her jumbled message. "They hurt you?"

Coquina nodded and pointed to her stomach. Garret gently pealed back the frozen cloth covering the wound. "Goddesses," he muttered as he saw it. "Talmar!"

Talmar hurried to his brother's side. As soon as he saw Coquina he gasped. "Dear Nayru! What happened?"

Garret quickly explained. "Bring whatever healing herbs we have," the knight instructed. "With Nayru's help, we might be able to save her."

Talmar nodded and within minutes, the two men were mixing powders into a foul smelling salve. When they finished, Garret smeared the pungent liniment thickly over Coquina's gash. For the first moment, it stung worse than the cold wind biting her skin. Garret said the salve would stop the infection from spreading and, as soon as the words left his mouth, Coquina's wound felt cool and soothed.

The master knight began to wrap a long white bandage around her stomach, speaking kindly in her ear. The linen pressed against her wound painfully, but she no longer cried out. As Garret tied the knot, Coquina slipped out of the world again.

- Y -


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Coquina's World Falls ...

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Thirteen: Coquina's World Falls Apart **

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

When Coquina came to, she was lying beside a crackling fire, her body wrapped in Garret's cloak. He sat by her side, tending the fire in silence. Darkness had fallen and Talmar was no where to be seen.

Coquina groaned as a hunger pain gripped her. Garret turned around. "Oh, thank the goddesses you're awake."

"I'm hungry," Coquina stated, realizing she could speak again.

"I should think so," Garret said. Coquina noticed a smile of relief appear on his face. "I was beginning to get worried."

He dished something out of a large bowl by the fire into a smaller one, which he handed to Coquina. She looked at it with longing as her stomach rumbled violently. Part of her said food was the last thing it wanted right now, but another much larger part, threatened to be very disagreeable if she did _not _eat. Deciding it would be better to endure the pain from eating than the pain from not, Coquina tipped the contents of the bowl into her mouth, gulping it down, despite her bandaged stomach's lurching and pulsing.

"Where is Talmar?" she finally asked.

"He went to Kakariko Village to search for Impa," Garret informed her. "If she's still alive."

The thought of Impa dying made Coquina want to retch. However, she managed to control it and ask another question. "Where are we?"

"About a day and a half's ride from the forest border," Garret answered, pouring himself some soup. "But it may take longer to find James and his men."

Coquina spat her soup into the fire. Garret gave her a strange look. "Haven't you heard?" Coquina blurted out.

"Heard what?"

Quickly, Coquina relayed to him what Impa had told her about the end of the war. "Then, Phillip declared himself King right before throwing himself out the stained-glass window in the throne room," Coquina finished, setting her bowl beside the fire.

"So the Great War has come to a close," Garret stared into the fire, not blinking.

"And we can go home!" Coquina said, voice full of joy.

Garret looked like he was about to say something, but a wail from the basket beside Coquina stopped him. She started, remembering that Link hadn't eaten all day. Quickly, Coquina lifted him out of the blankets and sat him in her lap.

Garret gazed at his son. "He's gotten big," the knight commented. "He's nearly, what, fourteen months?"

"Eighteen months," Coquina replied as she grabbed her bowl of soup. Slowly, she lifted a spoonful to Link's mouth, which he opened obediently.

"He eats solid foods!" Garret exclaimed. "And without throwing a fit."

"It's a good thing too," Coquina told him as she spooned more soup into Link's mouth. "I've no more milk."

Garret blushed. "Does he talk?"

"Sort of," Coquina said off-handedly. "I can't understand much of it."

Link gurgled happily. Coquina finished feeding him and wiped his mouth with the hem of her dress. "Can I . . . hold him?" asked a voice beside her. Smiling slightly, Coquina lifted Link out of her lap and placed him in Garret's arms.

"Dah!" Link exclaimed. "Dah!"

Garret beamed. "Coquina! He knows who I am!"

Coquina laughed aloud, despite the pain that resulted from it. She watched Garret fondly as he held his son up to the fire to could get a good look at him.

Link had grown greatly in the last year and a half. His beautiful blonde hair reminded Coquina so much of Garret's, the way it tumbled lazily in Link's bright blue eyes. The child laughed beside her and cried, "Mah-mah! Dah! Mah-mah! Dah!"

"I think I ought to put him to bed," Coquina stated later. "Hand him here, Da."

Garret laughed as he passed the now docile child to his Mama. His Da leaned over the basket and kissed his son's forehead. "Sleep well, Link Erdrich."

Coquina bent over her son and kissed him silently, afraid to open her mouth in case the pain she felt turned into a scream. When she sat back and the pain subsided, Coquina cleared her voice and began to sing a timeless lullaby.

_"Su amn lunaes,  
__e tes bey aym duwwen,  
__taewing qua cmono,  
__de sing aim hes song. _

_"Su amn diams,  
__e acn't piik endese aim,  
__lon en hith blak,  
__no tau cum laong. _

_"Nad tau,  
__vise po aym lef,  
__tau geiv aim hue,  
__de cray nu,  
__tau vise po aym solays,  
__e fel aym lunaes,  
__weth song . . ."_

Coquina's voice trailed off into the darkness as her body convulsed in a fit of shaking. The memories always triggered by that song bombarded her mind, threatening the delicate peace she had found in this time of sadness. The slight solstice the lady had achieved over her mourning for the people she knew and lost came down in a rush of grief.

In this distress, Coquina could only wrapped her arms around her body for comfort. As she swayed, she felt Garret scoot closer to her. His steady breathing calmed her somewhat, but not so much until he dropped his arm around her shoulder. The strong arm pulled her closer until both arms enveloped her. The pain in her wound was searing but she paid it no heed. All the problems of the past days came pouring from her heart in the form of tears.

Garret responded by holding her tightly and swaying with her. His strong hands stroked her hair gently. Coquina buried her head in the folds of his tunic. Garret spoke softly in her ear, telling her not to fear for everything would turn out in the long run.

Slowly, Coquina's tears subsided as she listened to him spin a tail of where they would be in ten years. Safe and warm in Chastrion, he said, watching Link play on the floor before the fire in the manor's retiring room. With all her heart, Coquina willed it to be true.

They sat in silence, arms entwined, listening to the sounds of the fire, hearts beating as one. Then, she felt the hand stroking her hair still. Coquina raised her head and her eyes met Garret's. His green eyes shone like emeralds in the light of the fire as she felt a hand lift her chin slightly. She closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead serenely. Coquina raised one hand to caress his cheek, which was weathered from the wind. Neither said a word as they drew closer to each other, barely aware of what was happening until their lips met.

It was like her first kiss all over again. What she felt was unlike anything she'd ever felt before; a longing desire. It ran so deep and came out so intense, it overshadowed the pain racing across her wound. She kissed him back wondering how she had every survived so long without him. Coquina felt his arms holding her firmly to him; firm but hard. That night the stars glittered bright as diamonds. A night for lovers to embrace and thank the goddesses for each other. And that was just what Garret and Coquina did.

- Y -

The morning dawned through a thick mist. As the sun illuminated it, the mist gave off a silvery glow, mystic and breathtaking. It settled on Coquina's skin as if it were cotton falling from the sky. She yawned and stretched. Garret's arms were still wrapped around her waist which, miraculously, felt as good as new.

Coquina grinned and patted her stomach fondly, which lurched and pulsed angrily. She grimaced. Maybe not good or new, but an improvement over the day before. As she sat up, Garret's heavy cloak fell off her shoulders. The brittle air bit at her arms and face as she stood. Coquina looked down at her tattered dress and sighed. What she wouldn't give just to whip it off and plunge into a nice, hot bath.

Sighing, she shook her dress and hunted around the camp for a blanket to wrap around herself. The only ones she saw were the ones she and Garret had fallen asleep the night before. She smiled at him as he shivered and pulled the cloak tighter.

Coquina shifted her gaze to the basket where Link was still sleeping. No one was awake but her and it was so late in the morning. _Well, _she thought as she grabbed a stick out of the snow. _At least we aren't in a hurry to get anywhere._ She poked the black embers in the fire pit. The fire had gone completely out, she discovered after crushing one charred log, which burst into a cloud of ash, causing her to fall back, hacking.

"Cold, my lady?" asked a calm voice behind her. Coquina smiled at Garret as he surged to his feet and walked over to her. "Brrr!" he exclaimed, shivering in his thin opal tunic.

From one of the saddlebags on the ground he pulled a flint. He heaped a pile of dry sticks from under a burlap tarp onto the black ash, ripped a piece of his tunic, and set it on top. He struck the flint several times before a spark caught on the fabric. Garret picked up the smoldering shred and blew on it until it blazed then threw it into the pile of sticks. In no time, there was a fire blazing.

"Mah-mah?" a tentative treble voice called out. Coquina lifted Link out of the basket. He smiled. "Mah-mah!" Garret stepped into Link's field of view. "Dah!" he exclaimed and reached for the knight. Coquina surrendered her son to his father as she poked about the camp until she found the soup from the prior night. It had frozen in its wooden bowl. Coquina placed the bowl beside the fire until it had thawed into a liquid once more.

Garret brought Link to her and kissed her cheek. "I think he's hungry." Link had begun to fuss. Coquina took him from her husband and began to feed him the liquefied soup. Garret sat down to watch.

"If we hurry," he started, "I think we could reach the forest by nightfall."

Coquina turned to him in surprise. "Why do we need to continue to the forest? We no longer need to warn James's troops of attack. The war is over."

"I know," Garret replied. "But they don't know that yet."

"They're smart boys," Coquina said sarcastically. "They'll figure it out."

Garret shook his head. "No, they'll stay where they are as James told them. A knight will follow orders until death, which is exactly what the men will do."

"So, we have to tell them to go home?" Coquina determined.

"Yes," Garret nodded solemnly.

Coquina sighed. "Seeing as I have no choice, I guess I'll have to come along."

- Y -

They reached the forest the next morning. At the place they stopped, it was evident someone had been there before. There were fire pits and footprints in the snow. Garret pulled up and dismounted near a snow covered birch. "I don't understand it. They should be right here."

Coquina looked around. Fresh snow had covered the footprints, leaving no more than impressions in the snow. It was hard to tell what had happened here. "Perhaps they already moved out and went home," Coquina suggested, shivering with cold.

Garret shook his head. "I think they went deeper into the forest. Their orders were to drive the remainder of Phillip's army into Labrynna."

"And I suppose we're going to follow," Coquina said. She didn't need to hear Garret's answer. She already knew they would keep after.

Garret flipped his cloak over his shoulders, mounted, and nudged his horse in the stomach. Coquina followed without a word.

It was hard going for nearly an hour as they broke a new trail, but once the trees became thicker, the snow became less. The ride might almost have been pleasant for Coquina if it weren't for the terrible ache in her stomach and now her neck.

Coquina was rubbing her sore neck when they approached a wall of hanging vines. She saw Garret draw his sword in front of her, slice his way through the growth, and turn right. Coquina followed, but as she rounded the corner, she nearly ran into him.

Garret had stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes gone wide. Coquina looked around and was barely able to keep herself from screaming. They'd cut through the vines and stepped right into a camp of men. A lone horse stood in the middle of the groups, its head bowed as it made a meal of some poor soldier's supplies.

When they entered the clearing, the horse looked up, but paid them little heed. Garret leaned forward in attempt to get a closer look at the horse's armor. From where he stood, Garret felt sure it was a style he had never seen his men use. His emerald eyes scanned the camp quickly and found, by the banner flying on the tent nearest him, that these weren't the soldiers he were looking for. These were Phillip's men.

Coquina's mount sensed Garret's distress and snorted. Garret's mare stamped her feet as he tried to make her back up. Coquina attempted the same, careful to keep her stallion from stepping on anyone. The only reason Garret and Coquina were still alive was because the entire army was asleep.

But, despite the care they took, Coquina's mount still placed one of his heavy back hooves on an arm lying in their path. The instant the horse set his foot down, the man shrieked in pain, waking everyone.

It took no more than a minute for the awoken soldiers to realize what was going on, once they spotted Garret and Coquina. The men picked up their weapons and began to close in on the two riders. Coquina looked around rapidly as the horses stamped and snorted in fear. There seemed to be no way out.

Suddenly, Garret's horse reared up with a loud whinny and bowled through the men surrounding them. He bolted so fast, Coquina barely caught his voice scream, "Run!"

She was after him in an instant. Her steed soon caught up with Garret, but not before she felt something whiz past her ear. Coquina looked back just long enough to see a line of archers, notching and firing arrows. She ducked as one flew through the air overhead.

Coquina turned back around when she saw a horde of men racing after. She urged her horse faster, but he let out a loud neigh and nearly fell over. Coquina swiveled around to see an arrow imbedded in his right flank. The horse kept up a limping pace, but it put her just ahead of the pursuers.

Garret soon noticed Coquina was not by his side and dropped back. As he did so, he felt something strike him in the small of the back. He grunted but didn't turn. Several more things hit him, an impact that felt like stones.

"Coquina!" he called as he rode parallel with her. "When we get to that large thicket near the oak on your side, I want you to vault off and hide."

"What about you?" she asked urgently as she gathered Link into her arms.

"I'll get off on my side," he assured her. "Our horses will keep their attention from us."

She nodded as her stallion barreled through the thick underbrush. When the oak came into view, Coquina readied herself. As she reached it, she threw herself from her lamed mount and fell into a thicket of stickers. She rolled deeper into it as she heard the pursuers run past, oblivious to her little stunt.

Then, she heard a rustling to her left. Coquina hunched, paralyzed with fear, in the darkest area of the thicket as someone rolled in with her. She nearly sighed with relief when she saw Garret, but she knew not to make a sound. They huddled in silence for a few minutes until they were sure there was no one around.

Garret groaned and flopped onto his stomach. Coquina covered her mouth as she saw him. His eyes had glazed over and there were three arrow shafts rising from his back. Coquina scooted over to him and grasped the end of one shaft. Swiftly, she yanked the shaft up, falling back as the entire arrow came smoothly out.

One down. Coquina grabbed the next shaft and pulled. This time she heard a snap and fell back on her bottom. Coquina looked at the shaft in her hand and saw there was no arrow head on the end. It still lay embedded deep in Garret's back. Setting her jaw firmly, she pulled the last arrow out with no trouble.

Now for the tricky part, removing the second arrow head. Coquina pulled the cloak off Garret's back and flung it aside. Somehow, the arrows had managed to pierce his skin despite the tightly woven mail he wore under the armor plates.

There was still a short stub of the arrow's shaft protruding from the mail. Uttering an apology under her breath, Coquina pulled up her sleeves and grasped the stub with both hands. She tugged, but it held fast. Rearranging her grip, she pulled again. Still it held.

Through the procedure, Garret remained silent. Coquina had assumed he had passed out when a weak voice croaked, "Give it up, Coquina, there's nothing you can do."

"No," Coquina whispered savagely. She pulled at the tiny links of iron, attempting to pull a larger hole so she could see his skin, but the mail resisted. Her fingers scrabbled over the rough surface but still the mail remained intact.

Coquina's raw fingers stung when she finally pushed aside the damaged links around the arrow shaft. She fought with the mail until she created a tiny hole, through which she could see where the arrow penetrated the skin. The blood around it had clotted and turned the wood of the shaft a nasty reddish-brown. Coquina placed a delicate finger over the wound, running it across the skin until she felt a hard spot. That was the arrow head.

Coquina grimaced as she dug her fingers into the soft skin. She felt Garret wince, but he did not to make a sound. She squeezed her eyes shut as her fingers touched to smooth tip of the arrow. Quickly, she pinched it between her fingers and, with one swift movement, wrenched the stub out of Garret's back.

Coquina sat back, panting, and examined the arrow head. It was thin, hardly any bigger around than the shaft, which was small in its own. These arrow heads, unlike the kind James's archers used, were made of steel not iron.

She rubbed her bloody fingers together offhandedly. They felt waxy, like it wasn't blood on them but candle wax. Coquina raised her fingers under her nose and sniffed. Instantly, she pulled them away. There was the smell of blood on them, but also something strange; something with a very pungent smell.

"What in Hyrule . . .?" Coquina murmured to herself.

She looked at Garret. Coquina had expected him to have a look of relief over his face, but he looked the exact opposite, as though something still tormented him. Suddenly, Coquina knew what the waxy stuff on the arrow head had been. Poison.

- Y -


	15. Chapter Fourteen: The Gilt Dagger

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Fourteen: The Gilt Dagger **

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

Garret's eyes were glossed over when Coquina shook his shoulder roughly. She let out a sigh of relief as she heard him groan.

"Garret?" she whispered anxiously. "Garret!"

Garret blinked. "Unn . . . Coquina . . ."

"Garret," she began, unsure how to tell him about the arrow heads. "The arrow heads are—"

"—Poisoned," he replied. "I know."

"How . . .?" Coquina started, but Garret already knew what she was going to ask.

"I can feel it moving through my body," he told her. "Like some horrible flesh-eating disease. Nothing can stop it."

Coquina's eyebrows knitted together with worry as Garret blinked rapidly, his eyes were starting to loose their glossy look.

"Nothing?" she finally managed utter.

Garret tried to shake his head, but it simply fell to one side. Coquina had to support it with her hand so he could see her. "Where is Link?" he asked.

"Asleep." Coquina picked her son off the ground where she'd lain him, and held him in her arms.

"Can I hold him?" Garret asked weakly.

Coquina nodded and placed their son in his father's arms. Link opened his eyes and looked around.

"Mah-mah?" he asked, voice quavering slightly at the sight of his parent's solemn faces. "Dah?"

Coquina could feel tears prickling in her eyes, but she blinked them away. Garret stared at his child longingly. He wished, just once, he might be able toss Link into the air one last time, and hear how he laughed.

"Good-bye, my son . . . my Link."

"Dah?" Link asked. "Buh . . . buh . . . bye?"

The child understood. Garret tried to nod unsuccessfully, and Link took the muddled movement for a yes. Tears fell freely down Link's cheeks and Coquina feared he would begin to wail, but he was silent.

Coquina picked up her son and hugged him. When she saw that Garret was crying too, Coquina finally broke down and began to sob. She didn't expect to feel Garret's hand caressing her cheek. She opened her eyes and he removed his hand. Without a word, he unbuckled the belt around his waist and pulled it out from under him.

The only thing on the belt was his favorite dagger. It sheathed in a small scabbard made of fine mahogany leather and bound with tiny strips of gold. Garret feebly untied it from the belt and handed it to Coquina. "Take this."

"Why?" she was almost afraid to ask.

"Use it to defend yourself," he said in a serious tone. "I want you to take Link and run deeper into the forest. The soldiers will more than likely run after you, but I'll do may best to distract them. Once the men are out of sight, I want you to head east. If you keep on coarse, you should find the rest of James's men. They'll be able to help once they recognize you."

"And then you'll be joining us, right?" Coquina finished anxiously. Garret looked away. "You mean you're going to stay here and . . . and . . ."

Coquina fairly shook with angst as his look told he she was right.

"No!" she screamed before she could stop herself.

No sooner had the sound escaped her mouth did Coquina hear footfalls coming toward her, as fast as they could. Garret reached up and gripped her arm harder than she thought he had the strength.

"Go now!" he yelled.

"No!" The footsteps were getting closer and she could hear people shouting. "I won't leave you!"

Garret glared at her. "If you won't do this for me then do it for our son!" Garret's grip tightened. "Do it for Link! Give him a chance to live, Coquina!"

These words forced Coquina to her feet, sobbing uncontrollably. She shook all over, clutching Link tightly to her, her last tie to Garret. Coquina stood still for a long moment, eyes locked with Garret's one last time, before she turned and ran east.

So filled with fear she ran, not hearing Garret yell after, "I love you, Coquina!" Not hearing the screams he made as he lured the soldiers to his hiding place. Not even hearing the sounds of the swords as they were thrust rapidly through her love's body. All Coquina heard was the beat of her own retched heart and the pounding of her feet on the frozen ground.

Coquina crashed blindly through the thick underbrush. Rough tree limbs scratched her bare arms. Dead leaves and branches bit her ankles as she ran over them. A hidden tree root tripped her, but she struggled to her feet and ran on. Her movements were quick and precise, but automatic, no feeling left within her bleeding heart. Nothing was real. Nothing mattered anymore. Her life had slipped away with Garret's.

Finally, Coquina scrambled through some bushes and into a large forest clearing covered in snow. Out of breath and unable to run any longer, Coquina collapsed into a heap of snow, panting.

When she'd recovered, the lady sat up and looked around. Ten paces to her right, she noticed a thinning in the trees which could only be a path leading out of the clearing. Coquina had entered the clearing from the west and the sight to the east took her breath away.

Around the clearing were six massive tree stumps, so large that, even if there were five of her linking hands, they wouldn't be able to reach all around the most slender of the stumps. The clearing was in the shape of a big oval and the tree stumps lined the edge of it.

The one nearest her was neither tall nor wide, shaped something like a drum, cylindrically shaped with no branches coming from it. Its bark was a dark almost ebony color, which Coquina thought was both boring and ugly. At the bottom of the stump was a crudely cut doorway covered by a burlap flap. Wait . . . what? Coquina did a double take and looked at the tree hard. Sure enough, it _was_ a door, and there was a warm glow coming from inside.

That was not the only tree stump that had been made into a house. As she looked, Coquina saw that all of the stumps were actually houses.

Behind the drum-house was a steep snow covered ridge on which sat more trees. These trees looked thicker and darker than what Coquina had just come through.

Coquina looked to her right where the land rose up in a shallow sloping hill, on top of which sat a rather flat and wide stump. The squat house on the hill was a light maple color, with two wavy red lines wandering around the top of the trunk. It had a wide door covered with a flap which had been dyed the same red as the lines outside. The inside of this house too glowed invitingly.

The hill the cheerful house sat on sloped down level with the ground again and then continued on into a shallow depression. In the middle of the depression was a tall, thin house. Rather than the door being of the ground, a ladder rose up out of the snow where, halfway up the tree, a snowy balcony jut out from the trunk, meeting the ladder. The patio led out from the door, which was covered with another heavy canvas. This house appeared to be empty, for there was no warm glow coming from the inside.

The depression rose and became level with the rest of the clearing. Beside this house was another squat stump, similar to the one on the hill. This one had a thick lavender line circling the middle of the stump and thinner lines of the same lavender fell away from it in a diagonal pattern circling the house. A small light violet overhang covered the door. While the other stumps in the clearing appeared dead, this one had three broad, green leaves erupting from the top. Coquina wondered how they could be alive in such cold weather.

Beside the live house was one that topped them all. It looked like it might be taller than the outer wall surrounding Hyrule Castle and its town. Somewhere near the middle of the stump, the trunk split into two massive branches, which rose nearly fifteen more feet in the air. The tree was an oak, its dark bark rippling with many underlying shades of brown. The door flap had a small hole in it which looked like it had been patched rather hurriedly.

The houses to her right were lined behind by the part of the forest she'd just fought her way though. Near the double branched tree, the forest swung around and ended the clearing. Where it swooped back again grew another stump, directly across from the double branched one. This one looked just like the short one on the hill directly to her right. The only difference was a bright red shade erected to provide shade over the door during the summers.

The shaded house was a good distance to the side of the drum-shaped house on her left. The ridge behind the drum house stretched halfway to the shaded house when it veered off and dropped away. Where it was exposed from trees, a small waterfall fell, into a pool between the two houses. Inside the pool were several small islands, each no more than a foot of so in diameter. The pool and waterfall must have made a fun place to swim, but they had frozen. It was an amazing sight to see sheets of ice frozen in air as they tumbled into a frozen pool, through which she could see all the way to the bottom.

Coquina shivered in her ragged dress. She was hungry and a cry from Link told her so was he. She looked right and saw a fenced area in beside the house on the hill. It looked like it might have been a garden, but she knew there would be nothing growing there now.

Another harsh wind blew past. Coquina looked longingly at the warm glow coming from within the house on the hill. Coquina struggled to her feet and plowed through the snow and up the hill, hoping the occupants would be hospitable. By the time she reached the doorway, snow was flying in sideways, biting her skin like a thousand snakes.

Trembling, Coquina reached up and pulled aside the flap, but before she could step into the house, she collapsed, breathing heavily. She felt the burlap flap fall into place, covering the door. She had tumbled over the threshold of the home, her upper body and Link inside, her legs out.

Somehow, Coquina managed to drag the rest of her body through the door, rolling onto her back, panting. As she recovered her breath and her frozen body began to thaw, Coquina heard whispers behind her.

Supported on quivering arms, Coquina pushed herself up. Only then was she able to look at whom the voices belonged to. Sitting on a bench in front of a large fire pit in the center of the house were a young boy and a young girl.

The boy couldn't be older than eleven years old. He was dressed in a green jerkin, underneath which he wore a thickly woven cream shirt with sleeves that hung so far they almost covered his hands. The boy had on a pair of legging of the same make as the shirt tucked into short leather boots lined with some kind of green fur. But when she looked closer, Coquina saw that it was actually thick moss, the kind that grew on the sides of trees. A floppy cap the same green as the jerkin hid the boy's matted ebony hair. The boy had almond shaped eyes a more brilliant green than the emeralds that had graced Princess Liana's favorite tiara.

The girl looked almost exactly like the boy next to her, whom Coquina assumed to be her brother. Similar to his, the girl wore a green surcoat over her tan shirt and leggings. Her boots were mahogany colored, as tall as the middle of her calves. She had long ebony hair, so clean and silky it fairly shone in the firelight, hardly a split end from top to the bottom fringes of hair hanging past her elbows. It was drawn behind her long elfin ears with a green headband. She too looked around eleven years of age.

Their house was small but cozy. Two little beds and three tiny cribs, in which were nestled three babies, stood up against the wall farthest from the door. To the left of the beds was a short table of beech wood with two whittled chairs drawn up beneath it. To the right was a clay basin filled with water and a heap of dirty clay dishes. Shelves lined the entire house, stacked with little figurines or dishes or whatever else the children had collected. Around the fire pit were several benches, like the ones the children sat on. Next to the girl's feet, Coquina noticed a large bowl heaped with snow that the fire was melting into water.

Coquina stared at the children from below her drooping eyelids and, with a shudder of her shaking arms, fell to the ground. She was about to close her eyes when a movement behind the girl distracted her. A glowing ball of orange light hovered next to the girl's shoulder. The glow was suspended in the air by a set of glossy wings, so fine Coquina could see right through them. No doubt, it was a fairy.

Coquina looked over at the boy to see a violet fairy hovering by his ear. Both fairies and children were as surprised to see Coquina as she was to see them.

Finally, the girl broke the silence. "What . . . what _are_ you?"

What was she? What kind of question was that! Coquina opened her mouth to answer as best she could, but her voice cracked and made no sound. Clearing her throat, Coquina tried again. "I'm a Hylian . . . if that's what you mean."

"What's a Hylian?" asked the boy, scooting closer to examine Coquina. She clutched Link to her chest, warming him. "And what's in the blankets?"

Coquina unwrapped the blankets to expose Link's head. He looked around in confusion, not sure where he was. The boy and girl leaned over Link to get a good look. The little child giggled and reached out to them.

"You have a Kokiri child! Where'd you get him?"

"He isn't Kokiri," Coquina told them. "Neither of us are. We're both Hylians, like the two of you."

The girl shook her head. "We're not Hylians. We're Kokiri."

The boy nodded eagerly.

Kokiri? Coquina had heard of the Kokiri, people of the forest. They retained their childlike appearance throughout their entire lives and Kokiri were know to always be in the company of a fairy, one for every child.

"What's your name?" asked the girl. "My name's Sonya and that's my brother, Joseph." She nodded her head at the boy.

"My name is Coquina," Coquina said, pleased that they had given her a question she could actually answer. "And this is my son, Link."

"What pretty names," Sonya remarked. "What're you doing in this forest? It is forbidden, you know."

Coquina told them as vaguely as she could about the Great War and how she escaped Chastrion. She told them how she was hurt and finally ran into Garret, how she had run from pursuers and ended up in this region of the forest. Coquina purposefully left out telling them about Garret's death.

"Can I see your wound?" Joseph asked excitedly. The violet fairy whispered something in his ear. "Oh, never mind. Tal says I'm not supposed to ask stuff like that."

Coquina laughed in spite of herself.

"He also says you look hungry and we should give you some soup!" The boy piped.

"Soup?"

"It's very good," Sonya said as she scooped it out of a clay pot in the fire and into a smaller wooden bowl. "It's made of greens, roots, almonds, and vegetable broth." She handed the bowl to Coquina, who accepted it graciously.

"Is it all right for Link to eat?" Coquina asked.

"I don't know," Sonya replied. "What does he eat?"

Coquina sipped the soup. "Never mind."

Several hours and three bowls of soup later, Coquina had answered every question she could and managed to feed both herself and Link until neither could eat another bite.

"So," Sonya said as Coquina leaned back against the wall. "These golden goddesses of yours created this Hyrule?"

"As well as the forest and all the areas surrounding it," Coquina finished. A pain in her stomach made her wince. She put aside the blanket Joseph brought her and examined her bandage. It was soaked in blood and had begun to drip on the hard packed dirt floor. Sonya and Joseph grimaced.

"You weren't kidding when you said you'd been hurt really bad," Joseph commented.

Coquina nodded weakly. Her body felt drained of energy, even though she'd just eaten, a sure sign that the poison had spread far though her body. If she didn't get to some healing herbs soon, she'd be finished.

Sonya turned back to Coquina after talking with her fairy. "Kettes and I have decided to take you to Saria."

"Where was I when you asked me?" Joseph glared at his sister.

"You don't have to be asked. She's going to Saria whether you like it or not." Sonya crossed her arms superiorly.

Joseph snorted. "I would have agreed anyway, if you'd _thought _to consult me."

Sonya ignored him and helped Coquina to her feet. "Come on. The sooner we get to Saria, the better."

- Y -


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Purhpciy fu hith Papuul...

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Fifteen: Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi **

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

Outside, in the meadow of the clearing in which the children of the forest lived, Coquina was shivering with cold. She and her two guides arrived in front of the squat house with lavender paint not long after they came out. Darkness had fallen and the glow from within was brighter and even more enticing than ever.

Sonya rapped her fist once on the outside of the trunk before pulling aside the flap and letting herself in. The house they entered was similar to the one Sonya and Joseph lived in, but there was only on bed, which stood at the point farthest from the door. The first thing Coquina noticed when she entered was that the ground was covered with a soft cotton rug, thick and fragrant with jasmine.

The walls inside were just as decorative as those outside, hung with simple embroideries, somewhat resembling the great tapestries that hung in the Great Hall of Hyrule Castle. In the center of the room the carpet wrapped around a great fire pit, fully ablaze. This pit too was lined with benches, which Coquina longed to sit on and rest her aching feet, but her attention was drawn to a young girl, who stepped mysteriously from behind the leaping flames.

The girl looked somewhere around thirteen years of age, her slender form covered by a thin turtleneck shirt with long sleeves and thin leggings, both the color of evergreens. Over the shirt, she wore a bright green jerkin, cut high on her upper thighs and belted at the waist. She had short bushy hair just above her shoulders, drawn back with a green headband. What amazed Coquina about her was that her hair was a vivid green color, unlike any she'd ever seen before, not that she _had _seen someone with green hair.

Like Sonya and Joseph, Coquina noticed that this girl had a fairy, a green one. Green was symbolically tied with the element of Forest. If Coquina remembered correctly, Forest fairies had the power to manipulate the earth and the trees to do their bidding. All fairies were greatly powerful in their own way, specific to their element. Coquina was grateful now that she had allowed Impa to teach her this.

The green girl nodded to both Sonya and Joseph. "What are you two doing here this late? Especially with this Hylian." Unlike Sonya and Joseph, the green girl didn't seem at all surprised by Coquina.

"She's been hurt, Saria," said Joseph. "She needs your help."

"I see." The green girl, Saria, was silent for a moment. "What is your name, Hylian?" she asked, turning to Coquina.

Coquina drew in a shaky breath. "Coquina . . ." she panted.

Saria looked at the lady with concern. The girl walked up to Coquina and held out a hand. "You look like you need to sit down." Saria led Coquina to the bed, into which Coquina almost fell, breathing heavily. Even the small amount of energy it had taken to walk to Saria's home had drained Coquina.

Saria knelt beside her. "Is that a child you're carrying?" she asked, referring to Link, whom Coquina clutched protectively in her arms. Reluctantly, Coquina lowered him into her lap so Saria could look.

Saria's emerald eyes met with Link's ocean blue, which sparkled not with fear, but wonder. "He's very beautiful."

Coquina nodded weakly.

Saria's gaze strayed up to Coquina's stomach, where it saw the woman's blood soaked bandage. Saria gasped. "Spirits, what happened to you?"

"I was attacked . . ." Coquina's breaths were becoming more shallow. "I think I was . . . poisoned . . ."

Saria's forehead constricted. "How long ago?"

Coquina tried to concentrate, but she could feel herself beginning to slip away. "Three . . . no . . . two days ago . . . I think . . ."

Saria nodded gravely. "I have some herbs that I could mix to make an antidote," she said. "But there'll be so much poison in your system by now, the antidote wouldn't be able to clean it all up. If I'm to help you, I'm going to have to drain the poison."

Coquina's face was consumed by fear. Drain the poison from her system? How in Hyrule did the little Kokiri think she could accomplish that? Coquina knew of one way, but it was dangerous and not many people lived through it.

Saria sensed Coquina's fear and put a calming hand on her shoulder. "You know exactly what I have to do, don't you?"

Coquina nodded.

"Well, I'm afraid there's no way around it." Saria took in a long breath. "Do you want me to do this?"

Coquina did not want it at all. There was no way she was going to let Saria cut her open to drain her blood. She would die if the procedure didn't take place, but so be it; she would probably die anyway. Not even for Garret could she do this. But the memory of Garret's last words came to her mind. _"If you won't do this for me then do it for our son! Do it for Link!" _Link . . . her son . . . Garret's son . . . _"Give him a chance to live, Coquina!"_

Coquina felt a lump rising in her throat. Painful memories of Garret tugged at her mind, drawing her back to them, back to a time when the knight was by her side. _"I love you . .." _Tears were falling down her cheeks. Coquina could feel their salt in her stinging eyes. Oh, the guilt she felt, guilt for living and wishing to die, when Garret and Impa had died to give her this chance.

She would not give in to her desires. Their sacrifices would not be in vain. _Garret, I promise . . . I promise I will live, for you and for Link . . . I love you . . . _

Finally, Coquina opened her eyes to find herself face to face with Saria. "I want your help . . ."

"All right." Saria stood and walked over to a shelf left of the bed. "Sonya," she called over her shoulder. "Take the child from Coquina and keep him quiet until I'm finished."

Sonya obeyed. Coquina surrendered Link to the Kokiri unwillingly, feeling as though her last tie to Garret was slipping away.

Moments later, Saria sat down by Coquina, an arrangement of bottles and instruments in her arms, which she set carefully on the floor. Coquina tried to keep herself from looking, but curiosity won over. There were three green jars, one heavy leather braid, a heap of white linen cloth, and a gleaming dagger.

Saria opened Coquina's mouth and placed the leather braid, which had been soaked in steeped chamomile, in. "Bite this when you feel pain," Saria instructed.

Coquina nodded vigorously, her eyes squinted shut.

"Would you be more comfortable if I talked with you?" asked the Kokiri.

Coquina nodded again, unable to speak.

"Okay." Saria paused for breath. "Your old bandages have been frozen and thawed so many times, they've become as tough as leather and there's no way for me to undo this knot. I'm going to cut them away. This shouldn't hurt a bit."

Saria lowered the blade to the blood-soaked lined, which she cut away with ease.

"There." She sat back triumphantly, though her pleasure was short lived. "Now for the hard part. I'll try to make this as quick as possible."

Saria pushed the fabrics aside and exposed the wound to open air. Coquina winced in pain as Saria examined the wound. It was swollen with poison. Saria prod it lightly with her finger, to which Coquina let out a loud moan of agony.

"This is where you were struck by the sword, as I can see," Saria told her. Coquina's width was a mess of fresh and drying blood, making it impossible to determine the exact place where the sword had sliced her flesh. "But I can't find the place where the poison first entered your body. I'm going to wash your stomach with some warm water. It'll sting a little, but it'll help a lot."

"Joseph, bring my the pot by the fire, then fill a bucket with snow and bring them over here," Saria yelled. She could hear Joseph race to do her bidding. Minutes later, Saria was throwing handfuls of snow into a boiling pot, occasionally dipping her hand in to see if the temperature was right yet. It wasn't long until she was soaking a soft rag in it and pulling the rag, lightly as possible, over Coquina's tender skin.

Coquina clenched her fists at her side and bit down on the braid, releasing some of the chamomile down her throat.

"Right." Saria dropped the rag into the pot and examined the clean flesh. A long, jagged line ran the width of Coquina's stomach. "I'm going to have to reopen this wound so that I can drain the poison from here," Saria explained as she readied her tools for the next part of the procedure.

"Joseph," she called again. "Bring me the other bowl from the fireside, if it's boiling."

The boy grabbed a wad of cloth from the table and wrapped it around his hand as he reached cautiously into the fire pit where a cast iron pot was bubbling. He carried it as quickly as he could manage its bulky weight and set it at Saria's side.

"What's the water for?" Sonya asked quietly from somewhere to Saria's left.

"It'll keep the knife clean and that will keep the wound from becoming more infected than it already is," Saria explained as she dunked the dagger into the pot. Steam hissed off the blade as she quickly pulled it out and pressed its point to Coquina's skin. Red fire shot across Coquina's stomach as Saria cut the tender skin, peeling it away like the skin of a rotten apple. The reopened wound gushed and blood splattered the front of Saria's clothes.

With one hand, she reached back and grabbed a shallow wooden bowl and the cloth which she'd left soaking in the lukewarm water. "This is the hard part," she informed Coquina as she placed the bowl by the side of Coquina's stomach. "Some of your blood is going to drain into this wound. Hopefully, it'll bring the poison with it."

But Coquina couldn't hear the words. All she heard was the rapid beating of her heart, pounding faster and faster. She could feel the blood pulsing in her wound and its turmoil in her veins fed by the swelling fear that gripped her. In all this, Coquina could stand it no longer. She spat out the braid and screamed at the top of her lungs.

Saria leapt back, her concentration broken. "This is too much for her," she said to Joseph. "I thought I could do this alone, but I need your help."

"What can_I_ do?" the boy asked.

"Knock her out."

Joseph nodded and took a step forward. Coquina, her eyes wide, saw him advance and shrank away, fearing he was going to strike her. Instead, Joseph stopped in front of her and said something to his violet fairy, Tal. The last thing Coquina heard before she fainted was a strong voice screaming, _"Uug de lsiipé!"_ and a violet light that engulfed her.

- Y -

Coquina awoke to a soft, pale glow beaming through the open doorway. It took several minutes for her to reacquaint herself with her surroundings. A brisk wind blew through the door, several snowflakes bourn by its gust. Coquina groaned and sat up on the little bed inside Saria's house.

Her stomach felt simply awful, she realized as she examined it. It looked like Saria had done a good job; there was no longer any sign of swelling and the wound appeared to have been well cleaned, then wrapped in soft linen cloth.

"You're awake at last." Coquina turned to see Saria sitting in one of the chairs at the table. "We've been wondering if you'd ever come around."

"How long have I been asleep?" Coquina asked as another pang gripped her stomach.

"About a day," Saria said. "I did the best I could for you." She grabbed a jar off the table behind her. It was no larger than Coquina's fist, but it was nearly full with what looked like blood. "This is how much blood I drained. I don't know if I got all of the poison though, but you probably would have died if I'd gone much longer. In fact, I was starting to think I'd gone too long as it was. You should have been able to wake when I shouted; the spell Joseph used wasn't very strong. I was getting kind of scared this evening. I was almost sure you were going to die."

Coquina nodded noncommittally. She didn't feel any better now than she had before. In fact, she felt worse, which she hoped was to be expected. While she pondered this, Coquina noticed the absence of a familiar weight at her side. "Where's Link?" she asked.

Saria stood and lifted the child from a the basket by the fire. Saria walked over to Coquina and set Link gently in her arms. He was sleeping peacefully.

"I've been feeding him today," Saria said. "I'm not sure exactly what he's supposed to eat, but he had some of my honey mash and a little soup Sonya brought over."

"That's just fine," Coquina assured her.

"Do you want anything to eat?" Saria asked as she stood. Coquina nodded. The Kokiri girl dished some kind of brown mush into a bowl and handed it to Coquina. It smelled delicious, despite its appearance.

As Coquina ate, Saria pestered her with questions.

"You're feeling better, right?"

Coquina nodded.

"That's good." Saria sat down in her chair across from Coquina. "So, Joseph and Sonya didn't do a very good job of explaining last night. How did you get into the forest?"

"I was running away," Coquina informed her. "I just ran east until I was sure they weren't following me anymore. Then I ended up here."

"You realize you _are _in the Kokiri forest, don't you?"

"Yes."

"And . . .?" Saria trailed off expectantly. Coquina gave her a confused look.

"And what?"

"Weren't you afraid?" she asked. "Most outsiders are scared to death of coming this deep into the forest. Most of them go mad with fear at the spirits."

"I wasn't afraid," Coquina said in perfect honest. "Not of the forest, at least. I was more afraid for Link. I promised . . ."

"Yes?"

Coquina shook her head. "Nothing. Forget I said anything."

"Did something bad happen?"

Coquina didn't want to tell Saria she was hitting the problem right on. "I . . . you wouldn't understand. It's an adult problem."

Saria narrowed her eyes. "My body may have stopped aging when I was thirteen, but my mind has not. I've been alive seventeen years which, in the Hylian world, is an adult, is it not?"

The passion with which the girl spoke shattered Coquina's stern resolve to keep the Kokiri from knowing about Garret. But, for all she knew, Saria could be right. There were little documented facts about the Kokiri race. Not many Hylians had met one face to face.

Coquina could feel a lump rising in her throat, her grief rising with it. How she longed to rid herself of this feeling, one that only time and talking could heal. And the only person to talk to was Saria.

"There was a war going on outside the forest this past year," Coquina said, her face staring at the moonbeams dancing on the walls. "My husband is—was a knight and . . . well, he died . . . not long ago." Coquina wiped a tear from her cheek. "I promised him I would save our son, no matter what it cost."

Saria's eyes were filled with tears, watching Coquina empty her soul. "Since then, all I've been able to think about was how to keep Link safe."

There was a long silence before Saria spoke again. "If it's any consolation, I'm in somewhat of the same predicament."

Coquina turned to face the young girl.

"It's a forest problem, so I don't have to deal with it on my own, but somehow, it affects me more than the other Kokiri." Saria sighed. "The spirits are restless with fear and for some reason I can't shake the feeling that whatever it is has a lot to do with me. It's all I've thought about for days now."

Coquina looked into her eyes, her face a mirror of sympathy and understanding.

"But, I think there's a way you can help," Saria added, tilting her head.

"How?"

Saria stood. "It's too complicated for just me to explain, so I'm going to take you to see the Great Deku Tree."

"Great Deku Tree?" Coquina repeated.

"He's the guardian of the forest," Saria informed her as the girl pulled a evergreen cloak over her shoulders. "It'll take some walking to get to his meadow. Do you think you can make it?"

"How far?"

"Not much past the end of this clearing," Saria told her.

"I think I can . . ." Coquina decided doubtfully, but she pulled her cloak on just the same, wrapping Link in a thick blanket. Then, as a last thought, Coquina tied Garret's dagger to her waist.

Outside, the sky was beginning to clear, little patches of stars peering though the gaps between the clouds. The wind had ebbed and the snow ceased falling, the clearing perfectly still in the moonlight.

Saria tramped through the snow ahead of Coquina, her green fairy, Mi, constantly looking back and whispering things in Saria's ear. They made their way eastward across the clearing until they reached a thin place in the trees on the side opposite the one Coquina had entered at.

The looming trees on all sides opened slightly to reveal a thin forest path. Their branched weighted with powdery new snow proved cunning obstacles for Coquina. Saria slipped around them easily without causing the slightest tremor, but Coquina had to duck branches left and right. The trees seemed to wait until she was right beneath to drop their loads of snow on her head. Within minutes of walking, Coquina was drenched from head to toe and shivering violently.

Finally, the trees thinned and Saria and Coquina immerged from the forest into another clearing, similar to the one they'd just left, but smaller and more circular, its only inhabitant a massive tree. Compared to this tree, the great stumps the forest children lived in were saplings. It would take the entire staff of Chastrion manor to be able to reach around its trunk. The canopy of branches reached far over the clearing and shaded the forest around it. The tree was dark like a giant sycamore or an oak, though oddly enough, it still had its broad summer leaves hanging from the branches. On the ground beside her, Coquina spotted a leaf, so large she figured she could easily stretch out in it and not hang off at all.

Coquina looked back at Saria to see her fairy fly off. Saria had dropped to one knee. Coquina's eyes followed the fairy as she flew to one of the branches and alit upon it. The green glow faded until it was out completely, revealing a tiny winged woman. The woman had shear-short green hair, with a fair complexion and an emerald dress made of some fluttery fabric.

Neither fairy nor child moved for a long time. Coquina shivered in her cloak, wondering what they were waiting for. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind that a deep, thundering voice echoed across the clearing, drawing her attention back to the tree.

"Speaker of the Kokiri, what hast brought thou to my sacred meadow?"

Saria stood. "Great Deku Tree, I bring the one you speak of."

"A component of the prophecy?" Coquina suddenly realized that it was the tree answering Saria. "Which?"

"I do no know, lord," said Saria. "I brought them here for you to see."

The tree creaked in approval, or at least, Coquina hoped it was approving. She was quite confused as to what the tree and Saria where discussing, but somehow, she couldn't help feeling that the tree could see her.

Coquina longed to speak, yet felt that the tree was to Saria as a king was to Coquina; one couldn't just talk without being invited to. Saria, fortunately, noticed. "Lord, I think perhaps she would like to speak to you."

"Dost some trouble thee?" the Deku Tree addressed Coquina in its stately speech.

Coquina curtsied with respect before she spoke. "Lord," she said. "I am somewhat confused. What do you mean 'component of the prophecy'? Are you talking about me?"

"I am." The tree paused. "Hast thou heard before of _Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi_?"

"Prophecy of the Apocalypse?" Coquina translated. She thought back. "No, not that I remember."

"Then I shalt tell it to you now," the Deku Tree began. "'When the way and tie of Tradition art encountered by the mysterious of the Outside, and the nine year interim hath passed, a time of Darkness shalt begin. Yet, the Light of Creation hath power enough to bring about the downfall of the Black. Only when the Elements hath been gathered and the Golden Power of the outside world released and shattered, shalt the Battle of the Ages begin. The Three of the Virtues, the King, the Hero, and the Princess, must stand to fight alone and mayst the conqueror hold the Golden Power true.'"

"If I may ask, lord," Coquina said. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Of that, we knowst not," the tree replied. "But we believe that either thou or thy son, might have some connection to the passings of _Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi_."

"So what am_I_ supposed to do?" Coquina could not hide the anger this statement had stirred up. She did not like the idea of her or Link's fates having been predetermined. The Lady of Chastrion did not believe in Fate. Fate had not brought her to Garret, and Fate certainly hadn't brought Link to them. People could make their own fate, if they chose. Coquina could have chosen not to wed Garret, or decided she would not bear children. Fate was a superstition that those with bad luck had created in attempts to verify such did not rest solely on their wrong choices.

The tree was silent for a moment, whether with shock from Coquina's outburst, she couldn't tell. When it spoke again, it was quieter. "Thou ought leave thy son here in the forest."

"Why should I do that, _lord_?" Coquina said, with sarcastic emphasis on the word lord. Who was this tree to tell her what to do, lord of the forest or not?

"Thou shalt pass into the next realm soon," the Deku Tree informed her bluntly. "The poison within thy body hath not purged and continues to destroy thee. Thou shalt cease to live in no more than one rise and fall of the moon."

Coquina's rebellious anger came to an instant halt with these words. Yet, for some reason, this news didn't shock her as much as it should have. Deep down, Coquina must have known all along that she wasn't to see Link grow into a man. Coquina felt her eyes fill with tears, but she blinked them away.

"I am ready now."

"Thy pardon?"

Coquina looked up at the great tree, whom didn't seem so truly great to her. "I remember the feeling of the poison eating away at my body, and I don't want that again. If there is nothing left to be done for me, than let me die now."

"But," Saria spoke for the first time since she had let Coquina talk. "But the prophecy . . . what if Fate doesn't want you to die? What if you are saved tomorrow?"

Coquina gave Saria a wise smile. "Do you believe your life is predetermined, Saria?"

"Yes."

"I don't. A person makes their own life, not follows some path put in place by an all powerful invisible force. The Goddesses created life in the image that life would make mistakes, learn from them, and do differently the next time, or not make mistakes at all, whatever life chose. And I am choosing to die by my own terms, not by someone else's."

Coquina looked down at Link. He opened his eyes and looked at her with a smile, not knowing that his life was about to change forever. "Mah-mah?" he asked in his tiny voice.

Coquina couldn't speak, instead closed her eyes and let her tears fall at last, falling on the blanket as tiny ice crystals. Link could tell, if by some sixth sense, that he was not going to be seeing his mother anymore. It was this same way that he knew his father was gone forever. The child felt the entire Hylian world melting away from him, yet did nothing but cling to his mother, giving her support and love.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Coquina pulled Link away. From her side, she unhitched Garret's dagger and placed it in Link's blanket. He looked with curious eyes at it, but did not touch. "Keep this with you forever, Link. It belonged to your father and he would have wanted you to have it. I love you, Link Erdrich."

Coquina gave her son one last kiss and handed to Saria. Saria took the child graciously, but he squirmed in her arms, wanting his mother. Link knew, if he let her go, he would never see her again, but there was nothing he could do to change what was about to happen.

"Now," Coquina said. "Let me free."

Saria nodded and called the green fairy to her side. She and Mi exchanged a few words before Mi flew up in front of Coquina, shroud in a bright green glow once more.

"Even if you don't believe in fate, Coquina, I do, and it was fated that you die this day. But, for your sacrifice, the world shall be forever in your debt."

Mi raised her arms above her head, glow dying away at once. In her cupped hands, something else began to glow as the forest surrounding the clearing began to rustle madly with a wind bourn out of nowhere. Under her feet, Coquina was sure she could feel the earth begin to tremble beneath her feet as Mi called upon its power. "_Aerth atki ihr buyd, Fuirst atki ihr sluo. Uug en páici._"Earth take her body, Forest take her soul. Go in peace.

The wind died and the earth stilled when Coquina's body fell to the ground. Her eyes were closed peacefully and, for the first time since the Great War had begun, she looked calm and truly at peace. But it was a peace not soon revisited on the world from which Coquina departed.

- Y -


	17. Chapter Sixteen: The Birth of a Kokiri

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Sixteen: The Birth of a Kokiri**

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

Sonya and Joseph waiting for Saria when she at last returned home. The two Kokiri were clambering to know what had happened in the Great Deku Tree's clearing and, more than once, Joseph asked where Coquina was. Saria explained as best she could and was still in the process of doing so when she felt a cold wind blow into the house.

She turned to see Mido standing in the door, snow swirling around him. As he stepped in, the burlap door swung closed behind him, cutting off the draft. Mido shook the snow out of his hair and glared at Saria. "I've just been to see the Great Deku Tree. He summoned me not long after you left."

"Then he explained everything to you," Saria said, beckoning Mido to sit.

Mido nodded as he plopped down it exhaustion on the floor. "It's unwise to bring a Hylian into the forest."

"He'll die if we abandon him."

"So he should die," Mido countered. "Better his life than ours."

Saria's fairy, Mi, fluttered her wings in anger. Saria put a hand on her and Mi quieted resentfully.

"What harm can an infant child possibly possess, Mido?" Sonya asked. "What harm can come from him?"

"What harm?" Mido's eyes widened. "All the harm in the world! He'll make trouble!"

"We'll teach him to be good," Joseph argued.

"That isn't what I meant," Mido groaned. "He'll bring war."

"War? How do you think he'll do that?" Sonya asked. "First of all, he's just a child, and second, it's not like the land outside the forest isn't already at war."

"That's just it, the war is _outside _the forest," Mido replied. "We're still living in peace. That child'll bring war to the Kokiri Forest sure as spring."

Ignoring Saria's calming hand, Mi's temper snapped and she leapt into the air. "How can you care only for yourself, Mido?"

Laralene, Mido's pink fairy, took it upon herself to answer. "You know as well as everyone else that we're thinking of the well being of all the Kokiri."

Sonya stood up. "If you care about the Kokiri, why not this one too?" She inclined her head to Link, who was sleeping in the wicker basket at the foot of Saria's bed.

"He's a Hylian, not a Kokiri," Laralene answered.

"So what?" Saria countered, her voice laced with irritation. "If the Great Deku Tree deems him Kokiri, then he's Kokiri!"

"His kind will come for him," Mido said, standing. "The Hylians will find him, become angry, and that will start a war. This one will be much greater than any ever before. The forest will be in danger."

"The child doesn't have any family left," Joseph's violet fairy, Tal, spoke. "In a few years, no one will even remember he existed."

"By the Forest Spirits, Tal, you know _Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi_ as well as any of us," Laralene countered."'When the way and tie of Tradition art encountered by the mysterious of the Outside, and the nine year interim hath passed, a time of Darkness shalt begin.'"

Sonya's orange fairy, Kettes, fluttered up. "If you know that much of _P__urhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi, _then surely you know how it ends," he said to the shimmering Wind fairy."'Yet, the Light of Creation hath power enough to bring about the downfall of the Black. Only when the Elements hath been gathered and the Golden Power of the outside world released and shattered, shalt the Battle of the Ages begin.'"

"'The Three of the Virtues, the King, the Hero, and the Princess, must stand to fight alone and mayst the conqueror hold the Golden Power true,'" Tal finished, and the room was filled with silence.

"This child," Saria began, breaking the stillness. "I believe he'll have a role in this prophecy."

A wail from Link's basket made her turn. Saria stood and walked over to him, lifting the infant child and rocked him in her arms.

Mi looked at Link with soft eyes. "Look at him Laralene, and you, Mido."

The Wind fairy and the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri watched Saria silently as she held Link.

"How can such a slight being, even a Hylian, possibly bring danger to the forest?" Mi asked tenderly.

Sonya stood and began to pace restlessly. "If the prophecy is right, then this is the beginning of the nine year interim."

Mi fluttered over to Saria, who had seated herself on the bed, never taking her eyes away from Link. Joseph crossed the room and stood over her.

"He is the Child of Destiny," Tal whispered from Joseph's shoulder. "There's no doubt about it."

"Then we have to bring him in," Sonya stated in a decisive voice. "It's one thing to turn an ordinary Hylian away, but it's completely another not to give the Child of Destiny the chance to live."

"Coquina entrusted Link into our care," Mi said softly. "We have to keep him."

"I don't care if the great Spirits of the Forest gave him to you," Mido said gruffly. "If that Hylian is really this so called 'Child of Destiny', there's all the more reason to believe he'll drag the forest into a war."

Joseph glared at his leader. "We both heard the prophecy and war is inevitable."

Mido jumped up. "Maybe you are too young to know the perils of war, but I remember."

Only the uttering of the word war in that context could have brought Saria to look away from Link, and she did so when she heard Mido speak. "The War of the Races, Mido?"

"Yes."

A hush fell over the room as the two elder Kokiri were silent. For several minutes, no one dared speak.

In all known history in Hyrule, there has only been one war in which the Kokiri Forest had been involved. The War of the Races had ended fourteen years prior. The ancient Sages passed the keys to the Sacred Realm into the hands of Hyrule, a decision that several Sages thought most unwise. As they predicted, each race wanted the stones to themselves and that began the fighting.

The Hylian king at the time, Clarence, believed that the Hylian race was most superior and that any other race could not be trusted with to guard the Sacred Realm. For that reason, so he told his people, he began the war. However, in truth, like almost all other rulers, Clarence had the ambition and desire to control the Triforce. With the keys to open the Golden World in Hyrule, it would be far easier for him to enter the forbidden realm.

So Clarence sent Hylian troops to every corner of the land with orders to bring back the stones, no matter what the cost. One of the stones happened to be sent to the Kokiri Forest, and the forest was very protective of it. Because the soldiers were scared to death to enter the forest, they set it on fire. In almost no time at all, the fires spread to the Sacred Forest Meadow, which was the most important area of the forest, for that was where most life began.

The Great Deku Tree is the center of all the Kokiri forest and only through the tree may life flourish. Long before the war, the Great Deku Tree grew six guardian trees out of the earth. The Guardian Trees each harbored one task in keeping the forest safe. They protected the boundaries of the forest, filled the soil with nutrients, shielded the Sacred Forest Meadow with a wild over growth known as the Lost Woods, grew the flowers of the fairies, grew the trees of the Kokiri, and harbored peace and tranquility between the forests' inhabitants.

Then one day, when even the Hylians were still primitive beings, a terrible storm rained fire on the clearing. The six Guardian Trees were killed and reduced to pitiful stumps which the Kokiri made into their homes. The deaths of the trees forced the Great Deku Tree take on their burdens as well as his own, the greatest of those being the Sacred Forest Meadow.

The Sacred Forest Meadow was where all life began in the forest. Within the meadow are seventeen special trees, each containing the basic necessities to create a life, namely, a Kokiri life. Every hundred years, the nutrients in each tree would begin to stir, and as they did so, a tiny life formed within the tree. The life in the tree's womb was a new Kokiri, who was grown inside its mother tree like a little plant.

After a year of growth, the mother tree had doubled in size, the Kokiri within ready to leave its womb and be born. At that time, the mother tree would send a message to a living Kokiri, known as the Speaker. The Speaker possessed a gift of communication. He or she was able to speak with the mother trees, which no other being could do. All beings, however, could speak to the Great Deku Tree, for the tree was patron of the forest.

After the mother tree had sent the birth message to the Speaker, the Speaker came to the Sacred Forest Meadow to receive the new Kokiri. As the child was born, the branches of the mother tree curled inward until it looked something like a dead stump. Then, after only a few minutes or as much as a few hours, of waiting, the mother tree flashed with a bright light and its branches unfolded to reveal an infant Kokiri at the foot of the trunk.

The Speaker then took the new life back to the forest clearing, at which time the mother tree would settle itself for another hundred year wait until ready to grow another Kokiri. When the Speaker reached the forest clearing, he or she would entrust the child to one of the elder Kokiri, one with no child to nurture or, on rare occasions, the Speaker would keep the child to themselves. In the Kokiri Forest, the oldest Kokiri raised the new, but more like siblings or as friends. There were no parents in the forest.

"Mido, do you think the war in the prophecy could be as bad as the War of the Races?" Sonya asked quietly. Though she had not been alive at the time of the war, she had learned about it from the older Kokiri, who spoke about it with fear in their voices.

"Without a doubt," he answered in a somber manner. "And this time, it might do more damage to the Sacred Forest Meadow than last time."

Saria looked up. "I'll never be able to forget that," she said to Mi. Mi nodded understandingly.

Joseph gave her a calculating look. Something in the way she said those words gave the Kokiri a wild thought. "So, are you the Speaker?"

Saria and Mi exchanged glances. Though every Kokiri knew about the Speaker, no one knew who it was, nor did the Speaker ever reveal their identity. Of late, it had turned into something of a game, trying to reveal the Speaker.

"Yes, I am the Speaker," Saria answered without a hint of reluctance.

"How long?" Joseph asked curiously.

"Always,"she said. "Even before Mi came to me. I was born as the Speaker, which was probably why I was raised Kyrian."

"Who?" asked Sonya. There was no one in this forest named Kyrian.

"Kyrian was the Speaker before me," Saria explained patiently. "He was very old when I was born, and he died eleven years ago. But Kyrian explained my power to me and taught me all about being the Speaker. That's why I spend so much time in the Lost Woods. It's much easier for me to hear the forest spirits speaking there than it is here."

She gave Joseph a sideways look. "That's why I brought the triplets to you."

"Speaking of the triplets," Mi interjected. "How are they?"

"Noisy," Joseph groaned. "Taorin has the strongest lungs any creature's ever seen. He screams more than Kaoko and Ludean combined."

Saria laughed. "Well, I don't imagine Link will be much of a screamer." She looked at the sleeping baby fondly. "Thinking of how reserved his mother was, I can bet you emeralds for mushrooms, he'll take after her."

"Then you really are going to keep him," said a voice at the back wall. Mido was slouched in one of Saria's chairs, Laralene seated comfortably on his shoulder.

"I didn't realize that hadn't been decided yet," Saria said. "I'd always planned on keeping Link."

"I would have thought you'd have more sense than that, Saria," Mido replied sharply. "After the War of the Races, you of all Kokiri should be least likely to take in a Hylian."

"What happened in the Sacred Forest Meadow?" Sonya asked. "I remember hearing about the War of the Races and the Lost Woods burning, but nothing about the Sacred Forest Meadow catching fire."

Mi looked at Saria, who nodded, and began to explain. "Saria was in the meadow with Kyrian that day. Two of the mother trees were nearly ready to birth their Kokiri, yours and another. The other had already sent a message to the Speaker and its Kokiri was supposed to be born very soon.

"It was on the farthest end of the meadow, a place where Kyrian feared that the fire might overtake them before the Kokiri was born, which it did. By that time, nearly the entire Lost Woods was up in flame. Just as the mother tree opened to release its child, the fire broke through the Woods' natural boundary. The tree was so vulnerable right then that it didn't stand a chance against the fire. Both tree and child perished."

Mi took a deep breath and collected her thoughts. "Part of the gift of communication the Speaker possesses is that they are more attune to the forest than the other Kokiri. Whenever something in the forest dies, the Speaker senses it. Saria says that when small creatures, like flowers and sprites, die, in her mind it feels like someone snuffing out a candle. But when big creatures, like Kokiri and trees, die, she says it feels as though a huge part of herself has been split in two with a scream louder than a demon yells. So the night the mother tree died, both she and Kyrian felt the harshest pain a Speaker can feel."

"Why does Mido make such a big deal out of it?" Joseph asked. "It's not like he felt the mother tree die."

"No, not exactly,"Mi replied. "You see, the reason Mido appointed himself leader of the Kokiri is because he cares for your lives more than his own. You may see him as bossy and rude, but that's only because he's trying to keep you out of trouble."

Saria looked at them thoughtfully for a moment. "Have either of you ever been outside the forest before?"

Both children shook their heads.

"Of coarse you haven't," she said. "Why not?"

"Saria . . ." Mido began warningly.

"We'll die if we leave the forest," Sonya answered promptly, wondering why Saria was asking questions she surely knew the answer to.

"Who told you that?"

"Mido."

"What will kill you if you leave the forest?" Saria asked, a small smile beginning on her face.

"Saria, don't even . . ." Mido said again, this time his tone more instant.

Sonya and Joseph exchanged looks. The Speaker seemed to be having the time of her life asking them questions, but for what purpose?

"Well," Joseph explained. "If we go too far from the trees, then we'll die."

"Wrong," Saria replied. "That's what Mido wants you to think. You could survive in the outside world as well as any Hylian."

Mido covered his eyes.

"Mido, if you're really as great as Saria says you are," Sonya said, "whywould you lie to us?"

"To keep you here, of course," Saria answered before Mido even looked up, acting as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It _is _very dangerous in the outside world, and Kokiri aren't common there. Mido figured that, if you went out there, you'd be captured or something like that. Telling you you'd die if you left the forest guaranteed him that no Kokiri would want to leave."

Mido felt his blood rise with modesty which, fortunately, no one noticed.

"So I don't think I have to tell you that this is a secret." They shook their heads.

"Great," Mido said in exasperation. "If it's not enough that there's a Hylian in the forest, now Sonya and Joseph know the secret about the outside world."

"That's just the way life is," Saria replied, waving her hand idly.

"We could make life better if we got rid of that child," Mido offered again. "It's dangerous for him to stay."

"Link will be in more danger out there alone than he will be here," Saria said.

"I was referring to us," Mido said under his breath. "Better him than us!"

Mi fluttered her wings angrily and dove at his face. "You self-centered cretin! I thought you cared about the Kokiri!"

"Yes, the Kokiri!" Mido retorted. "He is _not _Kokiri!"

"No, but since when have you needed to be totally truthful to the others?" Saria pointed out.

"He'll grow," Mido argued.

"Kokiri grow too!"

"I mean he'll grow larger than the rest of us." Mido was furious. "Saria, you know that. Hylians' bodies continue to change after they age when ours stay the same after we reach our final mentality."

"You fool!" Saria yelled. "He'll only be here through the nine year interim, like the prophecy said! By that time, he will be at a ten-year mentality and it won't matter yet that he is still growing. You, Mido, have an eleven-year mentality. Spirits, my own mentality is equal to a thirteen year old Hylian's!"

"His body will still appear Kokiri as long as he is here no longer than twelve years," Mi added. "After that time, his body's mentality will be older than is possible for a Kokiri. Saria is at the limit."

"That doesn't matter," Mido declared. "What matters is, if he is this 'Child of Destiny' you're raving about, then there'll be trouble for sure."

"Mido," Saria said calmly, "no one knows he's here. Coquina told me she entered our clearing completely lost. No one was following her and Hylians consider this forest too dangerous to risk their lives on. They will never come."

Mido had his arms folded across his chest. The hood of his knee length leather cloak had fallen back, exposing his mahogany hair. He looked fearsome, much more like a true leader than usual. The occupants of the room held their breath, waiting for what he would say next.

- Y -


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Link's Fate is Decide...

**Disclaimer:**_The Legend of Zelda_is property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning _The Legend of Zelda_. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

- Y -

**_"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi"_ — Chapter Seventeen: Link's Fate is Decided **

ByThe Last Princess of Hyrule

- Y -

After several minutes, he at last spoke. "No."

"Mido, be reasonable!" Saria shouted. "We can't just turn him out cold!"

"Yes we can," argued the leader. "What if he was here longer than twelve years? How would we explain that to the other Kokiri?"

"We wouldn't have to because it'll never come to that," Saria said confidently. "The prophecy says after the nine year interim, the elements will be gathered and a great battle will be fought. Now, I don't know exactly what that means, but I'm sure the Child of Destiny will involved, and that means he'll leave the forest at the end of the interim."

Mido sighed. "Let's suspend reality for a moment and pretend I said yes. What if the prophecy is wrong and he _does_ stay here after the interim?"

Saria thought about it for a moment. "If that happened, I'd take him to the nearest outside village and find a Hylian to care for him."

"Leave the forest!" Mido was outraged. "No, I won't let you!"

"Well, I could just keep him here after nine years . . ."

Mido's eyes narrowed.

"Besides," Mi added, "is it really _hurting _the Kokiri to have a Hylian here?"

Mido groaned. "This decision rests only in whether or not the Hylian will bring war."

"And we've made plenty of points to why it won't," Saria said. "Mido, be reasonable!"

Mido turned his back on Saria. Joseph and Sonya sighed simultaneously. The argument was going nowhere. There _had_ to be another reason Mido wouldn't yield, but no one had any idea what it could be.

After several long, silent minutes, Mido faced Saria once more. He sighed deeply, regretting what he was about to say. "Very well, Saria. He can stay."

Saria's face mirrored her amazement at the statement and she ran up to Mido, flinging her arms around him in a big hug. "Oh, thank you, Mido! Thank you!"

"Just be careful," Mido warned ineptly. "I don't like this prophecy of yours anymore than that child. I sure hope you know what you're doing, Saria."

"Oh, Mido," Saria laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Mido felt his blood rise and stiffened. Saria smiled at him and he forced himself to smile back, hoping his cheeks hadn't grown any rosier than from the cold.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Mido said as Saria detached her arms. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and walked out.

"Goodnight, Mido!" Saria called after.

Out in the dark clearing, Mido let out his pent up breath in a sigh. He trudged through the snow angrily. How could he have given in to her? He was her leader; he should have been able to stand up to her. Did what had happened that night make him less than he was?

His fairy, Laralene, sensed his distress. "Mido?" she asked tenderly, a manner she only allowed herself to express when alone in his presence. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," he groaned.

"Is it Saria?" Laralene knew everything about him, his thoughts, feelings, emotions, and even those for the present Speaker of the Kokiri.

"Laralene, why does she have to be so stubborn?" Mido asked rhetorically. "Now I'll never have my chance."

"Yes, you will," she assured him. "You let her keep the child, didn't you? She'll never forget that."

"But she'll never forgive me for wanting to turn it out in the cold," Mido retorted sourly. He sighed deeply. "Oh, what does it matter? I'm just fooling myself."

He reached the door of his house, but didn't enter. "Lara, do you think the Hylian really is this 'Child of Destiny'?"

Laralene didn't answer for a moment. "Yes," she said finally. "There have been whispers in the forest for ages now about that prophecy. I get the feeling that all the things it predicted are about to come to pass."

"Did it say anything about ruining lives?" Mido asked as he pushed aside the burlap door and entered his house.

"You think the child will take your place in Saria's heart?" Laralene asked presumptuously as he kicked off his boots and hung his dripping cloak.

"Shhhh!" Mido shushed the loud fairy, jerking his head in the direction of the sleeping form in the bed next to him.

"What are you worried about?" Laralene's voice dropped to a whisper as she fluttered over to Mido's bed and alit on the pillow. "It's not like Ringo is a light sleeper. He could sleep through a blizzard, I'll bet."

"But that Fire fairy of his wakes at a pin drop," Mido hissed. It was a proven fact in the Kokiri forest that opposites truly _could _attract. That was the way it was between Mido's roommate, Ringo, the trickster Kokiri, and his Fire fairy, Ciytan.

Mido quickly changed into his nightshirt and crawled into bed, Laralene curling up next to his face. "Now quit dodging my question: Do you think the child will take your place in Saria's heart?"

Mido nodded reluctantly. Much as he did not want anyone to know about his affection for Saria, he told everything to Laralene. Part of what made Kokiri and their fairies so close was that each knew everything about the other. If one could trust no one else in the world, one could trust their own fairy. That was how powerful the bond was.

"Oh, Mido," Laralene cooed gently. "In nine years, the child will be gone and that place in Saria's heart will be open for you."

Mido opened one eye. "Really?"

Laralene nodded as she pulled her long, pink hair into a thin plait on her back. She fluttered up and touched her lips lightly on his cheek, "Goodnight, Mido."

Mido yawned. "G'night, Laralene."

- Y -

Joseph and Sonya finally left Saria's house to tend to the triplets. The Speaker finally tucked Link into the basket Coquina had left. He looked so peaceful and innocent the way he slept, Saria realized as she watched him sleep. In her heart she couldn't help but pity the slight creature. He'd lost his mother that day, and father not far prior. It seemed unlikely to the little Kokiri that he had any other family, so it was only right to take him in.

Somewhere inside, Saria felt she owed Coquina a great dept. The woman had entered the forest hurt and scared, stumbling blindly to Sonya and Joseph's door. From there, the two Kokiri brought Coquina to Saria and it then that Saria offered to help. The Hylian had had faith in Saria's healing abilities, abilities which had not changed the path of fate at all.

Saria looked at the dagger in her hands, the one Coquina had left to Link. The hilt was made from gilded iron with an ovular sapphire pommel. Where the hilt connected with the blade was also set with a sapphire. Moving from inside out on each side of the sapphire were two emeralds, two rubies, and at the ends, two more sapphires.

She turned it over in her hands. The leather sheath was bound with thin strips of gold-polished iron. Firelight played off the dagger's steel blade brilliantly. Saria looked back at Link. The dagger must have held some special meaning to Coquina, if it were so important for her child to receive it when he was older, but Saria could only speculate about what it was. She voiced this thought to her fairy, Mi.

"Maybe it belonged to Link's father," Mi suggested with a shrug.

"I wonder . . ." Saria said. "Coquina told me he was a knight." Saria flopped onto her bed and lay staring at the ceiling. "He was a knight, she was a noble lady, and they were in love."

It pleased Saria to make up stories. She enjoyed entertaining the younger Kokiri with her tales of fancy and the outside world. The rest of the night the Speaker spent weaving a tale about a noble knight and a beautiful lady falling in love and having a son. When it was finished, Mi deemed it truly amazing and contemplated if Link's parents had really been like that. Neither ever knew their guesses weren't far off.

- Y -

In the morning the sun rose, though hardly noticeable through the fog. Throughout the clearing, the Kokiri emerged from their houses to play in the new fallen snow. Laughter rang through the meadow and it was this which finally woke Saria.

Mi fluttered up and stretched her wings."Morning, Saria!" she called energetically.

"Good morning!" Saria answered cheerfully. A small cry came up from the basket beside her bed. It appeared her new 'Kokiri' was awake as well. Saria lifted Link out. "Well, good morning to you too, Link!"

The baby gurgled happily and looked around. "Mah-mah?"

Saria didn't know what to say. How did you tell an infant child his parents were dead? You didn't.

"Dah? Mah-mah? Mah-mah!" He became more desperate as each look around yielded neither a Mama nor Da.

"Shhhhh, Link." Saria quieted him as best she knew how. "You're Mama's not hear right now. But I'll be your Mama."

Link looked at her blankly.

"Can you say my name? Saria . . ." she said slowly. Link remained silent, staring at her. "Saria . . . Sah . . . ree . . . yah . . . Saria . . . Come on Link, say 'Saria' . . ."

But Link didn't say anything.

Saria sighed. "You're hopeless."

She put him down on her bed, realizing that she was going to have to talk to Sonya and Joseph if she was to have any hope of raising this child properly. She opened the cupboards at the back of the room. They were full of fruits and vegetables she had gathered in the forest. "Well, I hope you don't need to eat meat, because all I have is vegetarian food."

Link was ignoring her again, looking intently at his surroundings, as though trying to memorize them.

"Looks like he's going to be a smart child," Saria commented, watching Link as he crawled around on the bed. "What kind of fairy do you suppose he'll have? Water? Sonya's Kettes tells her Navi still hasn't chosen a partner."

Saria pulled a squishy yellow fruit out of the cupboard and shut the doors. She grabbed a bowl and spoon and laid them on the table.

"Saria, he's a Hylian," Mi reminded her in a suddenly serious voice. "They don't have fairies."

"What!" Saria exclaimed.

Mi leapt into the air and flew over to Saria. The Kokiri ducked under her and went to rekindle the fire. "I thought you knew that!"

"Mi, without a fairy, the others will know Link's not really a Kokiri!" Saria said desperately to Mi.

Mi gave a shrug. "There's not really anything we can do about it."

Saria was silent for a long time, and Mi knew this meant she was planning something. "When do most Kokiri get their fairy partners?" she finally asked. "I don't remember."

"Anywhere between the second they're born to about the age of three," Mi answered. "But don't be thinking that really matters-a Hylian could never get a fairy partner. Only Kokiri are susceptible to our magic. Fairies and Hylians don't work well together."

Saria squeezed juice from the yellow fruit into the bowl, then tossed in several handfuls of oats. As she poured in some water, mixed it together, and nestled the bowl between the hot coals of the fire, the Speaker listened to Mi's words.

Then, she turned back to the fairy. "Is there any way to get a fairy to partner with Link?"

Mi shook her head. "Not a chance. And don't think you can trick us either. Fairies have a special intuition when it comes to choosing a partner."

"Then what can we do?"

"Hope the Kokiri never put two and two together and figure out Link is a Hylian," Mi offered. "Other than that, nothing."

Saria pulled the bowl out of the fireplace and set it on the table without further comment. Mi flickered through the air and beat her wings rapidly to cool the thick oatmeal. On the bed, Link smelled the scent of food and turned around.

"Sah-ree?"

Saria whirled around to Link. "Did you just say my name? Say it again! Say Saria!"

"Sah-ree!" Link announced triumphantly.

Mi burst into laughter. "Saree! Spirits, that child is a genius!"

Saria laughed with her. "Well, at least he calls me something."

"He won't have any trouble with my name, I'll bet," Mi said. "Come on, Link . . . Mi . . . say Mi!"

"Mi!" Link repeated. The child giggled and clapped his hands together. "Mi! Mi! Mi!"

Saria howled with glee. "Oh, what a child!" She picked up the cooled bowl of oatmeal and sat on the bed. "Soon he'll be speaking better than some of the Kokiri around here!"

She stirred the oatmeal with her spoon, sipping it slowly, and savoring the sweet flavor of the yellow fruit juice. "Mmmmmm . . ." Saria licked her lips and loaded the spoon again. "Okay Link, open wide."

Link obediently opened his mouth and allowed her to tip the food into it. He swallowed and looked back at her with a big smile.

"Awww . . ." Mi crooned. "That's so cute."

Saria finished feeding herself and Link, Mi taking a few nibbles for herself. She put the bowl into a wooden basin filled with water.

"It's really nice outside," Mi stated, looking out between the door flap and the wall. "Can we take him out?"

Saria shrugged. "Why not?" She wrapped Link in a blanket and swung on her own cloak.

Outside, most of the Kokiri were playing in the snow. Mido's housemate, Ringo, had built a large wall out of snow where he and his friends, the twins, Ressa and Tessa, were pelting Kolik and his sisters, Nicle and Faer, with snowballs. Sonya and Joseph were just immerging from their house with their triplets, Taorin, Ludean, and Kaoko. Mido was nowhere to be seen.

Saria walked over to Sonya and Joseph. "Good morning!" she called.

"Morning!" Sonya replied. "Guess what happened last night?" she said eagerly.

"What?" Saria asked.

"A fairy came to Ludean!" She inclined her head to the child in the middle, who was no older than Link.

"What kind?" Mi asked excitedly.

"A Shadow fairy named Nakia," Joseph replied. The small violet fairy hovering near Ludean's head bobbed in acknowledgement.

"I thought you would have chosen Kaoko, Nakia," Mi commented to the fairy. Nakia shrugged her shoulders.

"Once he's six, Kaoko's going to be the perfect angel," Nakia said.

"Think he'll have a Light fairy?"

"Without a doubt," Nakia agreed. "And I'll bet my pendant he'll have Seratt."

"Seratt? He's the one who lives in the branches of the Great Deku Tree, right?"

Nakia nodded. "He's the one."

"So Saria," Sonya started, ignoring the fairies. "Have you seen Mido today?"

"No." Saria shook her head. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, it's just that no one's seen him all morning."

"That's odd," replied Saria. "He's usually out here trying to keep Ringo from slamming poor Kolik's face in the snow."

"For your information," came a voice behind them, "I already did."

Saria turned to see Mido behind her. "Where have you been?" she asked pleasantly.

"Speaking with the Great Deku Tree," Mido answered. "About the child."

"Mido, I already told you," Saria said, exasperated. "The Great Deku Tree let me keep him."

"That wasn't what I had to talk to him about," Mido countered hotly.

"What was it then?" Sonya asked.

"None of your business!" he snapped. "Now get out of my way!" Mido shoved past Saria and stomped away to his house, the door flapping loudly behind him. Ringo watched his housemate leave and walked over to Saria.

"What's wrong with him?" Ringo asked, jabbing his thumb back at Mido's house.

Joseph shrugged.

Ringo scanned the group, his eyes falling on Link. "Who's this?" He stuck out a finger, which Link grabbed playfully.

"His name is Link," Saria explained. "He's the new Kokiri."

"Whose?" Ringo looked through the group again. "Yours?"

Saria nodded. "Speaker brought him to me last night."

"Through the blizzard?" Ringo was amazed. "Wow . . . You know, I bet I know who the Speaker is!"

Saria tensed. "Who?" she asked, trying to act normal.

"Mido!"

Saria breathed a sigh of relief.

"What makes you say that?" Joseph inquired.

"Ciytan woke up last night, when Mido came home really late," Ringo explained, referring to his Fire fairy. "Ciytan told me that he pretended to be asleep, but really listened to Mido's conversation with his fairy."

"And you know what?" Ringo leaned in closer to Saria. "I think Mido likes you." Saria covered her mouth as Ringo winked. It didn't make any sense. Mido didn't show compassion to anyone except his fairy.

"Ringo!" she snapped. "How dare you spread such a nasty rumor!"

"But it's true!" Ringo protested. "Ciytan heard it with his own ears!"

Saria could trust Ciytan's word, for fairies were completely unable to speak a false word. But Ringo could lie, and it was a well known fact that Ringo loved to play tricks on everyone.

"All right I believe you," Saria said, against her better judgment. "How many people have you told?"

"Just Ressa and Tessa." The biggest gossipers in the forest. By now, she could count on everybody knowing.

Saria groaned. "Well, none of that's true. Mido doesn't have a crush on me and he certainly isn't the Speaker."

"Then who is?" Ringo pressed.

"How should I know?" Saria declared. "Link was in my house when I woke up. It's not like the Speaker just up and handed him to me last night."

"Well excuse me." Ringo held up his hands defensively. "Don't get all offended." With that, he waked away to play with his friends.

"I'm going to go talk to Mido," Saria decided. She left Sonya and Joseph and walked to Mido's house. It was dark inside but smelled pleasant, like apricots in the summer.

"Mido?" Saria called.

"Go away," came the reply from the bed.

"Mido, what _did _you talk to the Great Deku Tree about?" Saria asked, sitting down next to him. "It _was_ about Link, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Mido admitted. "That child is trouble, Saria, even if you don't see it. I tried to get the Great Deku Tree to understand, but the tree ignored me. Apparently, I'm wrong and your prophecy will come true."

"I have no doubt of that. The prophecy will be reality, word for word, but it doesn't mention the suffering you seem so sure will happen after the nine year interim."

Saria gave her leader a long, probing look. "How do you even know there will be suffering?" she asked. "Don't you think your fears are ill conceived?"

Mido shook his head. "One of the perks of having a Fairy of the Wind is the powers that come with. The Winds bring change, I'll admit, but they also bring warning."

Saria met his eyes. She'd never heard him speak like this, so full of wisdom, as if he were a prophet. "What do you mean?" she asked slowly, apprehension creeping into her voice.

"Last night I had a vision and I know it was real," Mido explained. "There's no doubt that it was brought about by Laralene's presence." He took a deep breath and began to recite."'Spirits shalt fade into Solemnity, as Shadows wilt falleth to Sun. Water Freezeth into Ice, and Fire become Rock. The Forest shalt perish, reduced to Ashes, and Light wilt assuredly become Dark. The great Wind stilith at last, whence the Evil King taketh the Throne.'"

Mido looked at her, pure dread burning in his eyes. "My fears are real. This prophecy is interlinked with_ P__urhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi. _I'm sure that the king in that one and the king in mine are the same person."

He turned away from her with a long sigh. "I tried to explain this to the Great Deku Tree, but it was credited only as a dream. The Great Deku Tree doesn't believe I can have a real vision."

"Can you, Mido?" Saria asked.

"You don't believe me . . . do you, Saria?" Mido looked hurt.

"This is almost as bad as Ringo's rumor about you having a crush on me."

Mido boiled with rage. "This is beyond that! Saria, you have to believe me! Would I lie to you? Especially if I liked you like that?"

He had a point, she realized.

"Saria, you have to get rid of Link. 'The Forest shalt perish, reduced to Ashes.' Did you hear that part?" Saria looked down at Link, who gave her an innocent smile. "Your Child of Destiny will surely kill us all."

Saria felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Mido, but I just . . . can't . . . You don't understand!" She looked up at him in anguish.

Mido sighed and turned away, unable to stand the tortured look he saw in her eyes. "You're right. I don't understand why you have to keep this child." He paused. "But I do know you're wrong to do so."

Saria met his gaze.

"By keeping him, Saria, you sign away all our lives . . . only to save this one. Now, at the end of nine years, we shall all perish for sure."

- Y -

**To be continued in Book 2: _"Elements of Hyrule"_ . . . **

- Y -


End file.
